Ukrainian family coming to me

[swanseaboydan]

Hi all,
In a way I don’t know why I’m sharing this - I guess it’s to share and help others thinking of doing the same.
I put my house up with a charity a few weeks ago for Ukrainian refugees but didn’t hear anything. Spoke to my mate today who is from Belarus and asked if he knew anyone who needed a place in the uk . To me this shows how stupid this war is: Guy from Belarus helping people from Ukraine - flee the Russian army and get to the Uk . It’s nuts - how can one person wreak suck havoc ???

Anyway - long story cut short - within a few hours he had a text asking if he could help a mother, her daughter and their dog find somewhere safe in the uk . Father is in Ukraine fighting the Russians. Mum, daughter and dog are in Paris - exhausted and scared.

It’s so strange as I was in the pub when I had a call from a Russian lady asking if I was genuine etc etc. and can I take them .

So… I don’t want to deal with haters and people who May ask about vetting etc etc / why I did it etc etc - they may not even turn up - I dunno. .

Basically, from going to the pub with the aim of having a skinful on a Friday night to getting a call from a Russian rep in the uk then me texting my wife and Saying we are going to have a Ukrainian family with us ( don’t worry / me and the Missus discussed this a few weeks ago … but it was a shock …) - it’s been quite a weird night !

So . . If they turn up , I’ll let you all know how I get on - I only really use the internet for Pistonheads so I guess this is an outlet for me !
I’m the meantime, I’m off to hoover upstairs and change all the bedsheets etc etc ! Wish me luck !
I say me as my wife is in London Monday to Friday so this all falls to me ( I live in Swansea) It’s going to be a weird summer and maybe a weird few years !
Please please no haters , I’m still in shock and it’s all a bit surreal but I have a big house and can easily give over my top floor to these people !

[miniman]

Good on you. Post up anything they need, plenty of people will be happy to help I suspect, me included.

[stanglish]

Good on you. Many people would talk about it but fewer would do it.

Hope you all get along amazingly and the experience enriches all your lives.

Defo report back here. Remember your experiences might help someone else with the space make a similar choice.

[SteveR1979]

Amazingly selfless thing to do.

Please do tell us how it goes.

[Pica-Pica]

Well done.

[Arnold Cunningham]

A friend of mine in Germany has done the same. Good on you both.

[Cambs_Stuart]

Fantastic. Excellent work! Hope the people coming over aren't too traumatised and settle in ok.

[SteveStrange]

Good man!

[robscot]

Good work - it would be interesting to know the detail, how the visa stuff works out and speeds, and any ongoing processes.

[Speed Badger]

Awesome, top man

[velocemitch]

Credit to you, a very kind thing to do.

[ClaphamGT3]

Fabulously admirable. Let us know if you need anything

[Big Rig]

You sir are a hero.

[swanseaboydan]

To be honest I’m a bit anxious about it all - I’m staying up now as I’m replying to the Russian go between by what’s app who has questions about me and my wife and the house etc - she is filling in the visa application live online on the behalf of the family I believe

[cptsideways]

Well done, keep us posted!

We too have applied not heard anything yet. Though we are west coast of Scotland in the sticks so logistics may be an issue but lets see where this goes.

I'm sure people on here will offer to shuttle them if need be

[swanseaboydan]

Thanks - I offered to pick them up from anywhere in the Uk so weirdly enough the first thing I said when the local Russian rep who is helping phoned me was - ‘ I’m really sorry - I can’t pick them up now as I’m over the limit ‘ ( Friday afternoon in Swansea - totally normal ) she said it would take a day or 2 for the visas so I relaxed and switched to Diet Coke …
Home now and online answering all the questions out to me re the visas

[deeen]

Well done! I'm friends with a Ukranian family who have been here a couple of years, if "yours" are anything like "mine", they will repay your goodwill ten times over... lovely people!

[swanseaboydan]

I hope so!
Weirdly I could feel this happening a few weeks ago as I booked a builder for 4 weeks to rip out our Kitchen and then fit a new one but I thought that it would be totally impractical if a family came to stay with us so switched him last minute on to landscaping the garden instead. My builder is from Belarus and it is he who put me in to this family so fate really did play a hand ! they’ll have a dated kitchen but a great bbq spot instead !

[MrBarry123]

velocemitch said:

Credit to you, a very kind thing to do.

[fttm]

Nice one OP , keep updates coming .