My wife and I are taking in a Ukrainian family on 18 October. Mum, Natalya, and her two boys aged 1 and 4.
We have done this because our parents grew up in Portsmouth and Bristol during WW2, so we know from our parent's stories what it was like growing up a civilian in a war zone.



We have been overwhelmed by the generosity of strangers (and from members of this forum) to help us get the things we need to help them feel at home.
There is, however, a real and substantial item on our wish list which is missing. A car.

We live in the countryside, mid-way between Nottingham and Melton Mowbray, and our bus service was taken away in April, just after we registered as hosts on the Government scheme. Taxis don't like to come out to us either because they don't get revenue for coming out to pick us up.

There is a vibrant Ukrainian community growing up in the villages across the North Leicestershire/ Charnwood/ South Nottingham districts, and there are established meeting hubs in Leicester and Nottingham. Natalya is resourceful and has already been researching the cost of a mid-range automatic car so they can access these facilities and meet likeminded Ukrainians in the neighbourhood, independent of us. Natalya and her family deserve this freedom. They did not ask to be innocent victims of someone else's war.

We hope that Natalya will be able to return home safely and soon, and if there is any value in the car she has bought, when she needs to sell it, we will donate that money to the Red Cross.

The link to our Just Giving page is here. I'd be over the moon if, with your help, we could get to £2000 by the time they arrive.

https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/robert-gregory

Thanks in advance. Bob

Amazing Crowdfunding Success helps a Refugee Family

After 25 days crowdfunding, 14 days with our Ukrainian guests living with us in the UK, and 53 funding supporters, we raised over £2800 and achieved this goal.

Thanks to your generosity, Nataliia and her family have a car of their own for the duration of their stay in the UK. A 2010 plate Peugeot 308 SW Auto Petrol for those that worry about that sort of thing. Taxed, Mot'd, warrantied. That's more important   

No words can say how grateful we all are that we achieved this feat so quickly. Thank you all so much.

The Just Giving page referenced in the first post is still open, and if we get it to £3000 that will fund the road tax as well 

Love from Bob, Julia, Nataliia, Danil and Maksym. 

PS Special thanks to Elite Vehicle Movements who gave their time and drivers to bring the car to us from Coventry today. Thanks chaps!