A retired estate agent has raised £200,000 to help him find homes for 40 Ukrainian refugees in Tameside.
Steve Gooderson, 64, and his wife Jackie have helped 18 families with rent-free accommodation in houses in Ashton-under-Lyne, Greater Manchester.
The refugees’ rent has been paid for a year in the different houses and one landlord even gave a house for free.
Gooderson, of Stalybridge, told the BBC: “The Ukrainians have suffered so much at the hands of the Russians – we were determined to help.
“It has blown my mind how much we have raised.
“It is amazing to help these people after they have been through so much.”
The BBC heard directly from Ukrainian refugees, who described the anxiety of fleeing a war zone, their experiences adjusting to unfamiliar countries and their hopes for the future.
Valentyna Stoieva, 36, fled the southern city of Melitopol with her 12-year-old daughter Polina and toddler Karolina.
She said she was “very frightened” when the “Russians bombed our town” and the “tanks and soldiers” arrived..
Valentyna said the family were “very grateful” for the kindness shown by people in Britain and “especially Steve and Jackie”.
Her husband Marsym Stoieva, 39, who worked as a butcher in Ukraine, has now joined them in Greater Manchester.
Gooderson said: “My wife and I knew that the government’s scheme to house Ukrainians refugees in people’s homes wasn’t going to work for us.
“We had houses available to help these people and we were determined to help them quickly as people were dying.”
He added: “I grew up with Ukrainian neighbours and have felt a real affinity with them.
“I am like an adopted Ukrainian and when we started raising money the response from everyone and the Ukrainian community here has been amazing.”
