Lessons help Ukrainian children remember heritage

The project was started by a refugee with the help of the Salvation Army and Homes for Ukraine

Ukrainian refugee children living in North Yorkshire are receiving lessons about their home country in their native language to keep them in touch with their heritage.

Iryna Kutsemakhina, herself a refugee living in Scarborough, launched the project in the seaside town backed by the Salvation Army and Homes for Ukraine resettlement scheme.

About 174,000 refugees from the country have moved to the UK since Russia invaded in 2022.

Mrs Kustsemakhina said many Ukrainian children were forgetting their native language because of the time spent away from home.

Iryna Kutsemakhina said some children had even forgotten the Ukrainian alphabet

The lessons, which take place outside normal school, are delivered in Ukrainian and focus on various aspects of the nation's culture and history.

Mrs Kutsemakhina told the BBC: "For us it's really important because our children are too small to remember [things] about our country and their memories of it are like small pieces of a big puzzle.

"When we realised that some of our children don't remember even the alphabet we decided to organised this project.

"They forget because around 90% of the knowledge they are getting is in the English language and in English schools.

"At home they speak Ukrainian but it's not enough for them."

Refugee Zlada, aged 12, said she liked the sessions as she had forgotten the Ukrainian language "a little bit".

The lessons teach pupils about Ukrainian history and culture

Zlada, who said the best thing about living in Scarborough was "fish and chips", added: "It's important for Ukrainian people because [they are] our traditions and we don't want to forget this."

David, aged 10, said he really enjoyed living in the UK and going to an "awesome" school, but added: "It's important we remember our language and things like the traditions."

Mrs Kutsemakhina said although she was desperate to return to Ukraine, she was grateful to people in the coastal town for their hospitality.

"We've met a lot of kind and generous people in Scarborough. We have had huge support," she said.

"If we want to share our pain with them they will listen to us and always support us.

"I think we are very privileged people [to have met them]."

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