Olena first came to Pendle New Neighbours (PNN) at the end of May 2022. She was living with her host family on a farm in Blacko, which is a small village in the Pendle area of Lancashire.
Olena is from Kharkiv in eastern Ukraine and travelled to the UK with her teenage son, Yarik, who goes to school in Clitheroe.
Olena first came to PNN as she needed to improve her English, and she joined one of the informal ESOL lessons. Olena shared the fact that she had previously worked in Ukraine as a massage therapist and planned to set up a practice in Barrowford. She soon realised that it was no longer practical to remain with her host family and started to look around for a flat to rent. PNN helped her with this process as such procedures vary from those in Ukraine. Our Support Worker helped her to get some items for her new flat, and some of the measures that are necessary to set up a new business, such as registering with the HMRC.
PNN arranges social, cultural trips for the refugees as an opportunity to learn about our culture, see the beautiful surroundings in which we live, and to enjoy themselves with others who are in similar circumstances. Olena took advantage of three of our excursions visiting Settle and Malham, and the Textile Museum in Burnley. PNN also arranged for Olena’s son, Yarik, to have a free three-day holiday to Buckden in Wharfedale in the summer.
Olena says “PNN has been there to support me if I needed anything. For example, finding a washing machine which PNN found and installed for me. I am very grateful for their help. Their English courses help me to communicate, improve my grammar, and I have enjoyed my time. There is always a very good atmosphere, and the teachers are very friendly. I also enjoyed the summer trips with our refugee group around Lancashire. It’s nice to know that I can always turn to PNN for help with any issues.”
Olena is both entrepreneurial and focused, and we are confident that, after providing some initial support, and despite the stresses of being a refugee living apart from her husband, she will make a success of her new life in the UK.