Home free wish

HOME. Home at last. It is impossible to imagine the emotional roller coaster that the Ratcliffe family have been riding for the past six years.

But watching Nazanin stepping off that plane on to British soil was a moment of joy for the whole country.

How the tears flowed when we saw her wrapped in Richard and Gabriella’s arms, and that gorgeous selfie of their first spring stroll amid the daffodils and sunshine.

But Richard and Nazanin are under no illusions about the journey that lies ahead.

They can’t just slip back into their old lives. They need to get to know each other again.

And former hostage Terry Waite has warned Nazanin that being released is like coming up from the seabed – you have to take it gently to avoid the deadly bends.

But they will get there.

Because, as the remarkable Richard explained: “We want to be a normal family again and stop being a moment in history.” Amid the joy, his words were a heartbreaking reminder.

A reminder of the millions of other mums, dads and children who also yearn for normality.

The Ukrainian families torn apart in this dark and terrifying moment of history. No wonder so many big-hearted Brits want to open their doors and offer them the comforts of home.

And it is shocking that the Government could not get its act together sooner to set up a practical resettlement scheme.

But while 150,000-plus people have now registered to take in refugees, many will be woefully unprepared for the practical and emotional ups and downs that lie ahead.

While others – and we must be honest about this – will be unsafe, unscrupulous or utterly unsuitable.

So it is right that anyone hosting families with children should undergo enhanced security checks.

And that charities, church groups and all involved in the matching process should remind hosts of the huge responsibility involved – and that there are other ways to help our Ukrainian friends.

But most volunteers will, I’m sure, be fully committed to the task, ready to offer refuge and respite from the horror of Putin’s atrocities.

They just shouldn’t expect their new house guests to really “make themselves at home.”

Because home is where the heart is, and theirs are still in Ukraine.

And no matter how long this cruel war wages they will ache to be back with their families.

Home. Home at last.