Rugby volunteer takes Ukrainians under her wing

Kym Bromley works with the Ukrainian community in Rugby

A volunteer who has been working with Ukrainian refugees said the families were like "rabbits in headlights" when they first arrived.

Kym Bromley said she took Rugby's Ukrainian community under her wing by "sheer accident".

She had been helping out sending medical supplies out to Ukraine and offered to set up a pop-up shop for people arriving in Rugby.

Since then they have spent a good part of the last year together.

"Everything was free to anybody that came in," she said.

"There was shampoos, deodorant, clothes, make up even and that's where I met the group.

"They were like rabbits in headlights. Nobody was guiding them and I started seeing them regularly and helping them out with any questions they needed to ask."

Kym gives up every Saturday to offer a place to meet others, socialise, and learn English.

She also organised a trip to the seaside for more than 50 mums and children that now live in Rugby.

Grown in confidence

"After their journey from Ukraine, I just thought they just needed a day not thinking about anything," she said.

"It was just so nice seeing them relax, swim, it was a beautiful day."

The group told her that while in Mablethorpe they did not think about the war "even once" and since then they had grown in confidence and have begun to organise events and activities for themselves.

The hardest thing being in Rugby is "to be without a family", said Iryna Vasylyshyn, president of Rugby Ukraine Community. She moved here in June last year and said meeting Kym had helped her stay positive.

"I know when I have a problem I can talk to Kym," she said.

Kym said she never thought she would be able to fall in love with a "bunch of strangers" who she now viewed as part of her family.

"Hopefully when the war is over I can go to their country and see them in their environment", she said.

She has been shortlisted in the Volunteer category of BBC CWR Make a Difference Awards.

• Hear on BBC Sounds from Kym Bromley on why she has embraced Rugby's Ukrainian community