Andrea’s happy to help mother and daughter
AWOMAN from Formby has spoken about her experiences after taking in two refugees fleeing from the conflict in Ukraine.
Mum-of-two Andrea Rimmer decided to help after seeing a post on Facebook asking for British citizens to house displaced Ukrainian families.
After signing up for the scheme she was put in contact with a mother and daughter who had fled from their home city of Odessa.
For the past month, Andrea has been housing mum Olena, 40, and daughter Yeva, 8.
Olena was originally meant to stay with her partner in Bolton but before she arrived he decided that he did not want to take them in.
Andrea said: “Olena came over on a family visa with her long term boyfriend who turned around two days before she arrived and said he could not accommodate them anymore.
“He had it all set up. She is from Odessa and she left with her mum and daughter. They drove to Moldova then went to Bucharest, sorted all the visas out and her mum said she could not leave her dad and went back to Ukraine. I got a message asking if we could take Olena and Yeva in and I said absolutely.”
Olena, who was an estate agent in her native Ukraine, arrived in Liverpool the next day on March 17 and Andrea said she has been ‘overwhelmed’ by the support of the local community.
She said: “I put a post on Facebook asking for a bike for Yeva and within about four days there was stuff arriving at the house.
“I had friends come over with bags and bags of toys, somebody I know paid for them to go out and have a lovely lunch. Olena said the people she has met have been amazing.”
Olena and Yeva have now left Andrea’s home and moved in with another couple in Formby on the Homes for Ukraine scheme so Olena and her daughter can get more financial support while in the UK.
Andrea said: “I felt it was like having a sister in the house.
“With all the awful things that are going on in Ukraine the flipside is how fantastic the community has been. I can’t begin to tell you how kind people are.
“When Olena arrived she had nothing but when she moved out she had bags full donated.
“It’s not about what I have done. I just did what any other person would do to welcome someone in that situation.” of items that have been