Families who have moved to North Yorkshire to escape the war in Ukraine have spoken of the warm welcome they have received as a powerful photographic exhibition is launched.
The exhibition was launched at Northallerton Library, where it will be on display until July 19 before touring libraries across North Yorkshire.
Ukrainians who have settled in North Yorkshire were present alongside North Yorkshire Council’s executive member for arts and culture, Cllr Simon Myers, elected member for Northallerton South, Cllr Caroline Dickinson, and the Mayor of Northallerton, Cllr Andrew Hugill.
Ukraine has been involved in a conflict with Russia since February 2022 with civilians under threat from bombs, missiles and drone attacks.
The display, funded by North Yorkshire Council, consists of six boards with photos and descriptions detailing Ukraine before and during the war and how refugees from the country have adapted to their new lives in the North of England.
It was the idea of Roman Pronyszyn, the Ukrainian community co-ordinator in Richmondshire, who had seen a similar project at the University of York, and it has been produced in partnership with the council, Helping Hearts North Yorkshire and the Richmondshire Refugee Support Group.
“The idea is very much about informing people,” Mr Pronyszyn said. “We believe the more people know, the better they understand and the more welcoming they become.
“This project explains to people what has happened and why these people are here. Since arriving, many have now got jobs and some have started their own businesses – we have a café owner and a consultant at the Friarage Hospital, for example – and all are settling in and making their mark.”
One of those to now call North Yorkshire home is Iryna Oliinyk.
A former solicitor back in her homeland, she now works as a customer response assistant with North Yorkshire Council’s health and adult services team.
“I had a nice life in Ukraine where I lived with my husband and daughter. Everything has changed,” she said. “We had to move abroad to keep my daughter safe.
“I cannot remember why we picked the United Kingdom, probably because it’s the only language besides Ukrainian that I could speak. I could say ‘hello my name is Iryna, London is the capital’ which isn’t really that helpful.
“I met my sponsor, Angela, online and she agreed to share her home with us in North Yorkshire. She has been really supportive, and I am really grateful. No-one expected us to be here so long, we have now been here three years. This is our life now.”
Ms Oliinyk said she had been keen to find employment and was happy working for the council.
“I was looking for a particular job, a job working with the community where I could show my gratitude to this country for the support I have received,” she said.
Asked if she wanted to return to Ukraine at some point, she said: “I understand I cannot have the same life as I had before. I will need to start from the beginning. I lost my job, I lost my friends who are all abroad. Except for my husband, I have nothing, so it will be another challenge, but it is how it is.”
Another person who has left Ukraine behind for life here is Yana Drapak, who also works for the council. She is an English teacher with the adult learning team.
Ms Drapak is from the Donetsk region and lived under Russian occupation for a time before moving to Kiev.
When the constant bombardment became too much, the family sought to move overseas.
“Some friends told me about the Homes for Ukraine programme, so we decided to apply and have been here since 2023. It was a really hard decision to leave, especially when you did not know what your life was going to be like,” she said.
“We found a match and moved to Dalton on Tees, near Darlington. At first, I didn’t think it would be possible to teach English to the English, but my hosts were really supportive and told me anything was possible, and I found a job with North Yorkshire Council.
“It was great to discover there was a range of possibilities here, not only for me but also for my husband who is a photographer.
“We have made friends and live in a lovely community, so it has been great.”
Cllr Myers, whose responsibilities include libraries, said it was important to host exhibitions such as this.
“We see the war in Ukraine on our televisions, but this exhibition, through its powerful words and photographs, gives us a chance to stand and think about the impact it has on the population,” he said.
“It is only right that we play our part in helping the victims of conflict, so it was a privilege to meet those who are now calling North Yorkshire their home and to hear how they have been welcomed by our residents.”
Cllr Dickinson added: “I think it is important people come together through events such as this so we can understand what they have been through.
“These people have come to a strange country, and they must have wondered what they were coming to. But they have been welcomed into our towns and villages and are now active members of our communities, which is wonderful to see.”
Cllr Hugill said he was delighted to have been able to meet those who had resettled in the county.
He said: “The exhibition was very beneficial in helping people understand the background and history of Ukraine and the current conflict and also reminds us of the contribution people are making to our communities in North Yorkshire.”
After Northallerton, the exhibition will move to Catterick, Ripon, Stokesley, Skipton and Knaresborough in the coming months.
