How a Brazilian boy helped his new Ukrainian friend settle into life in a York school

• Video report by Helen Steel

A nine-year-old boy who fled war-torn Ukraine is settling into life in his new school in York with the help of a Brazilian-born classmate.

Yehor Berezhna and his mother, Anna, arrived in York after spending months sheltering from bombs in the heavily-shelled area of Kharkiv, near the Russian border.

Now the youngster is attending nearby St George's RC Primary School, which takes a significant number of pupils who have English as a second language from the local army barracks and university. 

One of them, Gustavo, moved with his family to the UK from Brazil. The nine-year-old said: "I thought [Yehor] was feeling a bit nervous because it was his first day at school and he spoke a different language.

"So nobody was going to understand him. I had also been through this so I tried to make him my friend. I also sat next to him so I tried to make the most of it."

Teaching assistant John Myers said he had been trying to learn basic Ukrainian to help Yehor feel more at home. He said: "I thought it would be nice to learn a new Ukranian phrase every day.

"So I learned 'good morning' and Yehor said it back. Then I learned 'how are you today?' but he just looked blank. So perhaps it wasn't quite right! I'll keep trying."

Year four teacher Janet Butler added: "At first he was really quiet. But he's really started to come out of himself - he's immersed himself in the language and then he'll start to speak more. Everyone wanted to be his friend.

"Parents have given him equipment and books - he's been looked after by the whole school community."

Asked whether he enjoyed school Yehor said. "So so. I like football. And the pizza and chips!"

Mrs Berezhna, who has had to move homes before due to conflict in her home country, has had to leave her husband behind to move to the UK as fighting continues.

She said: "In February, Yehor would just sit on his bed for hours every day, alone - it was so bad for him. We put on headphones so he couldn't hear the shooting – the loud noise. It was terrible, really terrible."

But the pair have been welcomed by their host, Louisa Wojciechoswka, who signed up to the Homes for Ukraine scheme because her grandparents were refugees.

She said: "My grandparents were born in western Ukraine and had to leave in World War Two. My father was born in a displaced persons camp at the end of the war. So there was every reason for me to do the scheme. 

"Then they bombed the children's hospital in Mariupol I really stepped up my efforts to get a visa for them quickly. 

"It's a big commitment but I couldn't ask for better house guests. Anna is lovely."

Want a quick and expert briefing on the biggest news stories? Listen to our latest podcasts to find out What You Need To know...