Aberdeen rallies around couple taking in Ukrainian refugees

An Aberdeen couple have been overwhelmed with the response to them taking in a family of three Ukranian refugees.

Alex, who was born in Poland, and husband Robert put in a request for information on schooling in a local Facebook community page.

The post was met with hundreds of likes and comments, with people quickly offering their support in various ways.

Speaking exclusively to Northsound, Alex said, "I was trying to do as much research as possible because we don't have kids.

"We were trying to find where they could go to school and if there was going to be help with language because the two girls (aged 8 and 10) can't speak English.

"I only asked about schools and around a hundred people replied saying that they can bring toys, clothes and shoes. One lady is retired and said that she could look after the girls.

"Someone else said that they could give them lifts to shops and lots of families replied saying that they have 8 or 10-year-old girls and can organise play-dates, and that they would love to take them somewhere for the weekend and show them Aberdeen."

The visa approvals are still pending, though the couple have been in contact with the mother and her daughters who are currently in Lviv.

The father is set to stay in Ukraine, along with their cat, and fight.

"One of the things we've appreciated from the dialogue that we've had with them, that perhaps isn't obvious, is that it's such a big decision for these people", explained Robert.

"It's a major decision. A lot of them don't want to come as far as the UK because they hope they'll be able to go back home within a few days.

"They want to be content that they are going somewhere safe, particularly if they are leaving the husband behind, and he'll want to be satisfied his wife and children are going somewhere safe."

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