Projection unveiled in Liverpool honours work of Ukrainian refugee
Chris Tarrant unveiled the artwork last night
Last updated 26th Oct 2022
Chris Tarrant OBE visited Liverpool's Royal Albert Dock to honour a Ukrainian refugee last night (Tuesday 25 October).
Chris is one of the best-known faces of British broadcasting in a career spanning almost 50 years. He welcomed a Ukrainian family of three into his own home following the Russian invasion.
Chris said of the family: “They are a real addition to my life now. They are nice, they are so warm.
“Obviously they were quite traumatised with what they’ve been through, and they arrived with nothing. They had one bag with baby clothes and that’s it.
“The husband is still fighting in the Donbas, so there is always a spector of ‘will he survive’. It’s quite scary and you just pray this horrific, sick war will end as soon as possible”
The family Chris has welcomed includes a 7 month old baby.
Chris said: “I’m now the Godfather to the baby.
“I actually said to one of my daughters the other day, ‘do you know I prefer this baby to you when you were that age’ she said ‘Oh Dad you can’t say that!’ No I don’t mean it, I love you of course I do” but this kid is so sweet.
“She walks everywhere at high speed now, she’s got toys all over my house that I trip over.”
Chris was shocked with the horror the Ukrainians faced and wanted to help. He's teamed up with The National Lottery to unveil a piece of artwork depicting a portrait of Ukrainian refugee Vladyslava Zhmuro who fled the war and now helps others in similar circumstances.
Vladyslava is a caseworker for the Welsh Refugee Council, after moving over in March this year.
She said seeing the six storey high image was "so surreal."
Chris shared his admiration of Vladyslava: “I’ve brought three Ukrainians into the country to live with me.
“She’s been here since the beginning of their war.
“She came over a week after the invasion started. She’s brought in over three hundred, and she’s only a young kid, this beautiful girl, so as a kind of tribute to her the lottery have actually arranged to have a huge image of her on that wall.
“I mean I think it’s brilliant.”
The Welsh Refugee Council project, which has received over £1.2 million in funding from The National Lottery, helps refugees find homes and education and supplies English courses whilst providing them with protection after escaping danger.
The portrait of Vladyslava was by Ukrainian artist Sergey Piskunov.