Ukrainian refugee in Evesham finds unexpected love

Yulia has formed an unexpected relationship with fellow lodger, Craig

A Ukrainian woman who came to the UK to escape the war has found love when she was not expecting it.

Yulia was taken in by Emma Nishigaki, from Evesham, in Worcestershire, and is now in a relationship with another of Ms Nishigaki's lodgers.

She said: "I didn't plan to find somebody here, but it's happened really natural."

Ms Nishigaki said it was good to see "something positive has come out of this awful time in Yulia's life".

Yulia, from Mikolaiv, arrived in the UK in April 2022 and was found a place to stay through the Homes for Ukraine scheme.

Ms Nishigaki said: "I've acquired another daughter, she's just embraced the family and embraced our life and I really can't imagine life without her now."

Yulia used to work as a bank supervisor in Ukraine

Yulia said she missed family and friends and hoped to return to visit them in 2023.

Speaking about her grandparents, she said: "They [are] OK, they have food, they have water, they have everything that they need for life, but I think mentally they are broken.

"I think everybody's broken now," she added.

Emma Nishigaki said Yulia had become like another daughter for her

Yulia used to work as a bank supervisor in Ukraine and has found work in the UK with a food company.

"I am making sauces in my new job and this is really interesting for me, because I like cooking.

"I'm cooking at home and I'm cooking at work, I'm cooking everywhere," she laughed.

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