Ukrainian woman 'repays' the UK by joining Nottinghamshire Police

Anastasiia Orlova said residents in Wysall helped get her family to safety

A Ukrainian woman says she has joined the police to repay the UK for the support it has offered her country since it was invaded by Russia.

Anastasiia Orlova is among Nottinghamshire Police's latest crop of police community support officers (PCSOs).

She will be based in Clifton as part of the City South neighbourhood policing team in Nottingham.

She said she felt it was "her duty" to try to protect communities.

The mother of one, who has lived in the UK for six years, said the invasion in February 2022 left her fearful for her relatives back home before they were able to seek safety in Nottinghamshire under the Homes for Ukraine scheme.

They are among hundreds of Ukrainian refugees who have settled in the county.

Ms Orlova said: "When the invasion began, the first city that was bombed was my home city of Kharkiv.

"It was really hard - my family was over there and I was here. I was worried about how they would get out, it was so stressful."

She said she went to Wysall, near Ruddington, where a woman introduced her to everyone living on her street to help her find sponsors for her family.

Thirteen Nottinghamshire PCSOs have completed their training this month

Ms Orlova added: "I was so grateful. They even helped me secure visas so we could get my family from Poland, where they'd fled to, to England. They were all just so incredible.

"A lot of Ukrainians have come to Nottinghamshire and I really want to repay people's kindness."

The new recruit added: "The UK government does a lot to help Ukraine.

"That's my country, my people - it made me want to do something in return.

"I'd always thought about joining the police and the government's help spurred me to apply.

"I felt it was my duty to give something back and what better way to do that than to help protect communities in England."

Ms Orlova was one of 13 new PCSO recruits sworn in on Friday.

Nottinghamshire's Chief Constable Kate Meynell said: "They each bring with them a variety of skills and will work with us to deliver the best possible service to our communities.

"Policing is all about public service and duty, and these officers will play an integral part in keeping residents across Nottinghamshire safe."