Ukrainian refugee living with Alnwick family feels 'at home'

Iryna Zhomer, left, and her sons Yurii, second left, and Tarras are living with Christine Truman

An Ukrainian refugee living with a family in Northumberland has said her son feels like he is "at home".

It has been six months since the government launched its Homes For Ukraine scheme, encouraging people to offer room in their own homes for people fleeing the war.

About 2,500 Ukrainians have been housed in north-east England and Cumbria.

Iryna Zhomer said, as a mother, her "most important thing was for my boys to find really a safe and happy place".

She said her 12-year-old son, Tarras, had come to her after they had been in the UK for a while and said: "Mum, it's so good, it's so nice here, I feel like I'm at home."

Christine Truman, who lives near Alnwick, has opened her home to Iryna, Tarras and her 10-year-old son Yurii.

"We didn't know what to expect," she said.

"I think our saving grace was that Iryna could speak English and we'd had many conversations before she arrived."

Ms Truman said there had been no real challenges and her only concern was whether her guests were happy.

"My worry is that they're living somewhere they don't want to be," she said.

"I know they would rather be home but obviously that's not possible."

Iryna Zhomer says her first thought was for her sons

The scheme to offer homes or rooms to those fleeing Russia's invasion of Ukraine has worked alongside the Ukraine Family Scheme which allows refugees to join relatives already living in the UK.

Demand remains high but the number of homes on offer has fallen and there has been a renewed call for sponsors.

About 75,000 refugees have been housed in the UK but the Office for National Statistics said a quarter of sponsors do not want to continue the arrangement beyond six months.

Ms Truman said she had "just felt compelled to help" when she saw what was happening on the news.

"My only thought was, really, who would help us?" she said.

"Would someone do that for us?"