Teesside family's bid to rehome Ukrainian family after visa delays

Following the tensions between Ukraine and Russia from their home on Teesside, Simon Taylor and his wife Amy grew more and more concerned with the inevitability of war.

Having visited Ukraine and falling in love with the country and its capital Kyiv, the couple wanted to help out in any way they could and promptly contacted friends stuck in the middle of a warzone.

“When we found that our friends family were fleeing Kyiv we did not hesitate to do what we can to help,” Mr Taylor told The Northern Echo.

They signed up for the UK’s ‘Homes for Ukraine’ scheme with the intention of welcoming four Ukrainians into their home and helped their friend and her family with the application.

Mother Iryna Shaiashnikova, 35, has been living on the floor of an art gallery in Prague, Czech Republic, for over a month with daughter Ilana, 3, her teenage son Roman and mother Halyna, 59. 

After the terror of fleeing their country and now without a home, the family have had to deal with Ilana’s health difficulties after a misdiagnosis, meaning she cannot receive the medical attention she needs.

Read more: Bedale family waiting nearly a month for refugee family

Keen to help out in any way he could, Mr Taylor said he didn’t let his Parkinson’s diagnosis deter him and travelled from Stillington, Teesside, to the Czech capital to help the family and dozens of other refugees.

They promptly submitted their UK visa form as part of the refugee scheme but were forced to wait for days before hearing of any progress.

Mother Iryna Shaiashnikova, 35, has been living on the floor of an art gallery in Prague, Czech Republic, for over a month with daughter Ilana, 3, and son Roman, 16.

Mr Taylor said: “Everything went well, Stockton Council completed the home visit and DBS applications were completed so we were ready to collect our friend and her family whenever their visas were issued.”

“The not knowing when this is over is mentally taxing and the depression has set in for all involved,” Mr Taylor said of the process.

“I’ve now been in Prague for what seems forever. I’ve dealt with Police bribes, no place to stay due to Easter and no documents for our friends.

“There has been progress but it doesn’t change the process that people are having to go through.”

But in staying at the gallery with the family in Prague, Mr Taylor told how he had encountered “the most amazing people”, which has restored his hope and faith in humanity.

Read more: Darlington man explains why he signed up to Homes for Ukraine scheme

Explaining why he is helping, he added: “I can leave and go home to a nice safe house whenever I want, these people have no such luxury, not even close.

Mr Taylor and the Ukrainian family had reached the Netherlands by Sunday evening and were hoping to travel across to the UK on Monday afternoon. He also thanked his friend Stephen Dennis, who has “been amazing” booking emergency hotels for Iryna and her family.

“I wouldn’t change what we have done. I had to go and do something, there wasn’t a second thought,” he said. “Coming here your eyes open and I just wish we could take more people in.”

The government said it has recently “streamlined” its visa application to speed up the process. “We continue to process visas for the Homes for Ukraine scheme as quickly as possible, but accept progress has not been quick enough,” a spokesperson said.

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