‘Please help’ begs former teacher stuck in Ukraine
Ex-leek College lecturer Harry is there with his wife
A FORMER Leek man and his family are currently trapped in the Ukraine due to the invasion by Russian troops.
Harry Richardson, who was also a former lecturer at the Leek College campus, is with his Ukrainian wife Alina and her daughter and granddaughter.
Staffordshire ex-pat Harry heard ‘rockets and bombs’ outside as he spent another night sheltering in a cellar in Ukraine as he told how the children ‘are the ones who are suffering the most.’
He released another video pleading for help following the Russian invasion last Thursday.
Harry, Alina, their family and others have been sheltering in an underground cellar, near their home in the Cherkasy region of Ukraine, since the attack started.
In the new video, Harry explains how they heard air strikes happening outside overnight, with a ‘skirmish’ taking place between Russian and Ukrainian forces at a nearby airfield
Harry said: “Outside we could hear the sound of what we thought were rockets and bombs. It’s dark down here, it’s cold down here, we were all very, very frightened, especially the children. The children are the ones who are suffering most.
“When we eventually came out and went upstairs we heard that the airport just at the edge of town, which is disused, there had been a skirmish, a battle there. We were unsure what was going on.”
In the video, Harry is joined by Alina, his step-daughter Halla and her son, Tim. Harry says that Halla’s husband is serving in the Ukrainian army, and is ‘waiting for whatever will happen.’
He adds: “We just want you to hear us again, to hear what we are going through. We cannot put into words our emotions, it’s something you see
on the television and in films, but you never think you’ll experience it.”
Alina says: “We are still strong, but we really need your help. Please, please help us.”
According to the latest reports from Ukraine, Russian forces are continuing to attack cities including the capital Kiyiv, which is around 100 miles from where Harry is in Cherkasy, and Kharkiv.
Harry’s friend, Susan Thorpe of Leek, said: “Harry is a great friend of mine, and is my daughter’s Godfather. He currently finds himself along with his family trapped in the city of Uman in the Ukraine.
“He left Leek three years ago to marry his Ukrainian girlfriend, and went to teach at a university there. They are currently camped out in the basement of the university, scared for their lives, and not knowing what information is true.
“They are all very scared, but are being brave. There is a lot of support for the family in Leek.
“We have known Harry for 20 years. Both myself and my husband were taught by him at Leek College and he has been a massive part of our lives since.
“I heard from Harry on Monday morning and he said that the city where they lived had now been bombed.”
Meanwhile a Leekbrook man has demonstrated support for the Ukraine people by displaying a sign of support on a busy road.
Brian Mountford said: “I am a 75-year-old retired conceptualist living in Leek. During my lifetime I have had to face many bullies and business gangsters. However the citizens of Ukraine the bullies I faced were not a neighbouring enemy with machine guns, tanks and rocket launchers.
“In 2020 I demonstrated my support for the NHS by creating a Tree of Life to give away free hand made face masks to my local community. I will now show my personal support for the brave Ukrainian people by creating a Tree of Hope bearing handmade
Ukrainian National flags. This small gesture of support by myself and my family will be viewed by thousands of daily passing vehicles. As I stood to take the photo of the sign the sun came out so I took the opportunity of my shadow giving the message a Churchill victory sign.
“I believe that if enough normal people like myself demonstrated their support for Ukraine then it may just play a small part in the huge task of ensuring that a bully never wins.
“The picture of the Ukrainian flag can be cut out and displayed in readers’ windows as a gesture of their support.”
Russian president Vladimir Putin has put his country’s nuclear forces on high alert, in response to what he called ‘aggressive statements’ from NATO.
Meanwhile, Ukraine has agreed to send a delegation to meet with Russian counterparts, without preconditions.
Since the start of the invasion, around 268,000 people have fled Ukraine, with most crossing to Poland.