The county that became a hotspot for Ukrainian refugees

More than 2,100 refugees have moved to Buckinghamshire under the government's Homes for Ukraine scheme, the highest of any local authority area in the UK. How have they settled, what impact have they had, and what do they make of events in the White House and beyond in recent days?

Up to the end of 2024, there had been 219,400 arrivals into the UK as part of the scheme, although some have since left the country.

The Homes for Ukraine scheme allowed UK and Irish citizens, and those with settled status in the UK, to sponsor the visa of somebody from Ukraine and host them for a minimum of six months.

Buckinghamshire Council said it had had more than 1,100 sponsors since the conflict began in 2022, and that there were 433 Ukrainians of school age in education in the area.

While Ukraine has seldom been far from the headlines in the past three years, events have moved very quickly in the past few days.

There were unprecedented scenes in the White House last Friday when Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky clashed with Donald Trump and JD Vance in front of the world's media.

They culminated in Zelensky being ordered to leave the White House before flying to London where he received a strong show of support from European leaders.

Sarah Graham runs Hilltops Ukrainian Support Community, which has helped almost 600 people settle into the area around the Chiltern Hills in Buckinghamshire, three-quarters of whom are now in their own homes.

She says that after participating in events in London last week, the group got together last Friday to commemorate the third anniversary of the start of the war.

"Sitting with around 200 of our Ukrainian friends, we heard the news of what was unfolding in the Oval Office with feelings of utter dismay," she says.

"There is so much to be said, so many thoughts and so many emotions, but the message is clear: we will walk with our Ukrainian friends hand in hand.

"We want to see an end to the war in Ukraine, but peace has to be sustainable and supported from all sides.

"It was very encouraging to see Sir Keir Starmer host the summit on Sunday, with leaders who will do what it takes to achieve lasting peace."

On the day-to-day issues faced by refugees, Sarah, who was appointed MBE in 2023 for her work, says: "Through a wide array of initiatives, we foster a strong sense of belonging and mutual care, helping Ukrainians overcome challenges as they rebuild their lives."

The group joined in with the Peace in the Park event in Chesham in September and also held a Ukrainian festival in Amersham.

"It has been a privilege to see our Ukrainian friends not only rebuilding their lives, but contributing to our county through volunteering to help others and actively participating in a huge range of community events," adds Sarah.

"Their resilience and engagement inspires us all."

The BBC spoke to three women from Ukraine who said they loved the green countryside and rolling hills of Buckinghamshire, but had also experienced challenges.

Iryna Chekmarova, 37, and her daughter live with a host family in Old Amersham, although she hopes they may be able to get their own place soon.

She was also dismayed by events in the White House on Friday.

"It was total humiliation from the very beginning. Zelensky was brave enough to not use an interpreter. He was brave enough to answer all questions truly," she says.

"We've been living in this war for almost three years and I feel even more scared and anxious right now about the future of our country."

Referring to criticism Zelensky faced for not wearing a suit to the meeting, she says: "Even Winston Churchill didn't wear a suit when his country was in the war. I am happy that almost all Europe and Great Britain support Ukraine in this difficult time."

Iryna came to Britain without her husband, who was not allowed to leave Ukraine. He makes weapons in a factory in Kharkiv, close to the Russian border.

She still visits him, but "only sees him for a little bit each day".

She says people ask her why she goes back, and while she admits it is "quite dangerous", she says she feels a "brightness and is really happy" when she does.

In Buckinghamshire, she has struggled to find employment, although says "it is not difficult to find work in kitchens", adding that "even if you do not speak English, they will show you what to do".

She is studying global business management at university to try to improve her prospects.

A Healthwatch Bucks report reveals that although almost two-thirds of migrants said it was easy to register with a GP, a third had not seen a dentist in the UK and only half had visited an optician.

Anna Putiata, 38, a project manager who lives in Wendover, says she has had problems finding a GP as she "needs to find a doctor she trusts and can go to all the time".

She says she experienced health problems when she first arrived in the UK, but now has health insurance through work, which has helped.

Anna adds that she lacked confidence in English because "she is surrounded by people who are fluent" but "is lucky to have people around to help" her.

Tetiana Pantielieieva, 35, lives in High Wycombe with her son.

She says she has also had problems with the language, and sometimes worries whether words she uses "really exist in the English language".

She works for Buckinghamshire Council but speaks to a lot of Ukrainians who tell her healthcare is very different in this country.

She says loneliness is also a problem for people who tell her "in a British manner 'Yeah, I'm fine, thanks'" but when they get home, "lonely evenings are a reality", even if they are with their children.

Buckinghamshire Council hired seven English tutors and is training 15 Ukrainian and Afghans to become ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) tutors.

Alysoun Owen, who teaches English to Ukrainiains at the Aylesbury Vineyard church, says there are issues "after the six-month programme ended and over rehousing".

She says the group's command of the language is "getting better, with lessons being a social group, as much as anything else".

She feels Buckinghamshire has a "real sense of welcoming people from different parts of the world" with Afghans and Syrians settling there, too.

The BBC spoke to some of the group at the church.

Oleksandra lives in Haddenham with her husband and two children, one of whom was born here.

She says the church is "very nice and is a big community" where she has more friends.

Tetiana, who works in the church, hopes to "maybe" stay here with her teenage daughter, if she can.

Kateryna, who lives in Aylesbury, says a doctor helped her with a "hard labour". She is pleased that her child "can play with others at playgroup".

Nadiia says she "does not want to go back, even if the war ends".

She says her "dream is to stay here", as she feels safe in Buckinghamshire.

• The population is about 553,300
• The average house price is £453,000, with average rent for a three-bedroom property £1,400 a month
• The county has 171 parish and town councils.
• Some 32% of the county is designated green belt, compared to the England average of 12.5%
• Buckinghamshire has 236 schools, pupil referral units and state-funded nurseries
• The average annual gross pay in Buckinghamshire for full-time workers was £38,600 in 2022

Source: Buckinghamshire Council

Buckinghamshire Council's Conservative leader Martin Tett says: "We are very proud to have such a strong record on local support provided to Ukrainian guests.

"We know how hard it must have been to move to a new country under the circumstances, but through dedicated support officers, the council helps them integrate into their new communities."

He feels a large number of Ukrainians have settled in the county because of "the higher number of people in Buckinghamshire who came forward to be sponsors".

Tett says the authority has "converted many people's qualifications to UK equivalents to help them", but adds that that finding employment remains a challenge, so many "take a job not commensurate with their qualifications and previous employment".

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