A mother given shelter in Wokingham borough has described the horror of living under war – and how her fellow Ukrainians living in darkness and cold need generators.
Determined to tell her story despite her tears, Iryna Shuhalieieva, 45, spoke at a poignant church service in Twyford last Thursday, a year after the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Generous donations at the service and afterwards resulted in £2,800 to buy generators to go to Ukraine.
Iryna’s bravery at the service at St Thomas More Roman Catholic Church was nothing compared with what she and her family have shown in the past year.
Iryna, a lawyer, and her daughter Varvara, 12, are now safe, as guests of Charvil couple Cyndy Gray, 71, and her husband Steve, 70. Varvara is a pupil at The Piggott School, Wargrave.
About 70 people at the service heard how the family had kept moving hundreds of miles trying to find peace. They’re now spread across four countries.
Iryna told the parishioners of St Mary’s, Twyford, St James, Ruscombe, Twyford United Reformed Church and St Nicholas, Hurst, that her family had lived in Ukraine’s Donetsk region, occupied by Russia in 2014.
“We were forced to leave our home, jobs, schools and kindergartens. Thank God, at that time there were peaceful territories in Ukraine, and we moved to Kviv,” she said.
Her elder son later went to the Czech Republic to study and then find work.
On February 24 last year everything changed. “At 5am we heard explosions. Our friends started calling us and shouting that the war had begun … Our elder son called and cried. He did not understand.
“Then I felt bad with my heart and I lost consciousness. I kept the fear in myself and my heart could not stand it. My husband helped me to recover…
“The children are sleeping, I’m taking heart pills, my husband is trying to be strong. Emptiness, fear, and nearby explosions again.”
A month later, Kyiv was surrounded on all sides. Their younger son, a judo expert, then went to Spain for training. In Kyiv, the explosions were getting closer.
In April, the family went to the Czech Republic and Spain, but finding a home was hopeless. Then Iryna heard about the UK sponsorship scheme. In September she and Varvara arrived at the Grays’ home. Iryna’s husband remains in Kiev.
“My family and I are very grateful to the people of Britain,” she said. “For me, Cyndy is like a mother. Steve, like dad. For me, these are the kindest and most decent people. I really hope that we will win soon and everyone will be able to return home.”
She appealed for help to buy generators to provide lighting, heating and cooking after destruction of electricity systems. At the service representatives of the churches led prayers for Ukraine, Russia and the wider world and victims of war.
Amy Buxton sang the Magnificat.
Caragh Booth and Pip Holmes of fundraising group UKtoUkraine said the generators would leave Hungerford later in March. St Thomas More Deacon, the Revd Michael Jackson, said afterwards: “We’re grateful to everyone who gave to buy the equipment.”
Cyndy Gray said: “Cyndy suggests people interested in being hosts can visit the Support for Ukrainians in Wokingham and Surrounding Areas Facebook page.”
