Living in Berkshire, under the flightpath of Heathrow, we are used to hearing planes flying overhead.
But can you imagine what it is like for every plane that passes in the night to make you too anxious to sleep? How the sound of every helicopter brings back terrible memories of living in a warzone?
That was the experience of Anastasiia and Yuliia, who are from Kiev in Ukraine. Anastasiia found sanctuary with a British host family, but still struggled to sleep for more than a year.
Serzh, another young Ukrainian, tells how he and his family lived under Russian occupation in Kherson, watching tanks firing into neighbouring houses, killing families inside. He escaped over the front line, negotiating Russian checkpoints and searches, where a pro-Ukraine photo on your phone could get you arrested or tortured.
Anastasiia, Yuliia and Serzh, all refugees, are now students at the University of Reading, where we support them with Sanctuary Scholarships. They recently recorded their experiences, their worries, and their dreams for the future in a podcast. It tells a moving and hope-filled story about young people overcoming hardships. They are starting businesses, studying, and making friends in a community where people from all over the world help each other to feel at home and thrive.
I am proud to be the Vice-Chancellor of a University, and a citizen of a country that gives people the opportunity to contribute in so many different ways. I was not born in Britain myself. Yet as Deputy Lieutenant of the Royal County of Berkshire, I have been honoured to be present at citizenship ceremonies in which people from all over the world pledge their allegiance to His Majesty King Charles III, our country, our laws and values.
I tell those becoming British citizens that it is not that many years ago that I was sitting where they are sitting now. This is genuinely a country of opportunity for those willing to make a positive contribution to the fabric of our society. And the University’s Sanctuary Scholarships, alongside the many scholarships and bursaries available to British and international students, support refugees who have the most difficult journey to make.
Of course, I acknowledge that people have concerns, and that there is a need for fair controls on immigration. But we need to work towards a future and system where we are making things better, not worse.
Among all this, where do Anastasiia, Yuliia and Serzh see their future? Yuliia, who is studying neuroscience at Reading, wants to help people with brain injures to recover and live fulfilling lives.
Serzh says it better than I can: “As someone who came to the UK as a refugee, I carry with me not just a personal story of resilience, but also a deep motivation to contribute to the society that welcomed me.
“My aspirations for the future are rooted in public service. I want to work in politics, law, or journalism – fields where I can stand up for people who are unheard.”
Who could argue with a person, or a system, that encourages that?
By Prof Robert Van de Noort
