Leamington man who has taken in Ukrainian family is encouraging more people to help victims of war in the same way

Barry Kruger, whose family have taken in his mother-in-law, his wife's cousin and his wife's cousin's young daughter says the Government's Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme is leaving willing households too much do to find families they can help
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A Leamington man whose family is providing a safe haven for three of their Ukrainian relatives is encouraging more people to help the victims of the war in the same way.

Barry Kruger has welcomed his mother-in-law, Olena, his wife Maria's cousin Yuliya and her seven-year-old daughter Jade to his home in Wathen Road.

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But he says other people he knows who want to take in Ukrainian refugees under the Government's Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme are having to find them for themselves without any help.

Barry Kruger and his wife Maria have been joined by her mother Olena, Maria's cousin Yuliya nd her seven-year-old daughter Jade from Ukraine. Barry is arranging for more families, currently in Poland, to join sponsor households in the UK.Barry Kruger and his wife Maria have been joined by her mother Olena, Maria's cousin Yuliya nd her seven-year-old daughter Jade from Ukraine. Barry is arranging for more families, currently in Poland, to join sponsor households in the UK.
Barry Kruger and his wife Maria have been joined by her mother Olena, Maria's cousin Yuliya nd her seven-year-old daughter Jade from Ukraine. Barry is arranging for more families, currently in Poland, to join sponsor households in the UK.

He said: "A few people have got in touch with me and told me they want to take Ukrainian people in too.

"But the part that's missing from the whole process is that people are having to find families through social media.

"The Government is not helping people to find them and that's the problem."

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Olena, Yuliya and Jade fled their home city of Odessa soon after the Russian army invaded Ukraine at the end of February.

They got a lift to Moldova, crossed the border on foot before getting a bus to the capital Chisinau.

From there they went to Romania and Barry and Maria flew out to meet them in Bucharest.

Yulina says her family in Odessa are not caught up in the conflict as things stand.

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People who have remained in Odessa are yet to have suffered as greatly as those living in the north and west of Ukraine.

Yulina said: "Before we left Ukraine I wasn't worried so much for myself but it's Jade who I want to keep safe.

"It's positive news from my family at the moment but then you turn on the TV and see a report and it's still very worrying."

"We hope to return home some day but that isn't likely to be soon."

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Jade is now on a waiting list for a primary school place in Leamington and Barry and Maria have contacted Warwick and Leamington MP Matt Western about changing the type of Visa Olena has so they are able to access the sponsorship scheme funding to support the three women.

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