'We were glad to give Ukrainian refugees a home - but this is what we wish we'd known before we did it'

manchestereveningnews.co.uk:

It has been one year since Russia invaded Ukraine. It was February 24 2022 when president Putin launched the invasion of the neighbouring country from the north, east and south, sending in around 20,000 armed soldiers. Putin claimed the 'military operation' was to 'protect people' in the Russian-speaking region of Donbas, who, he alleged, had been 'facing humiliation and genocide perpetrated by the Kyiv regime.' It was the largest military offensive in the continent since World War II. Tens of thousands of civilians were killed, with many more injured and millions left with no other option but to flee their homes, clutching tightly on to their helpless young children and just a few belongings that had been quickly thrown into a bag.

Russian airstrikes saw buildings that were once happy homes, shops and hospitals, reduced to rubble in major cities like Mariupol, Bila Tserkva and Kyiv. But, there was much solidarity from the UK.

In Greater Manchester, a specialist fund 'The MCR Ukraine Welcome Fund' was one of many efforts to help the families desperately fleeing the raging war, giving those who had trekked the treacherous journey overseas small grants for essential items and advice. The UK also launched the 'Homes for Ukraine' scheme.

To date, it has helped more than 100,000 refugees settle in hosts' homes, with the Government offering homeowners £350 a month for the first 12 months.