Fleetwood school and community gives home and support to Ukrainian family fleeing war

One of the country's top private schools has given not just free education but a free new home to a mother and her two young sons as they flee Ukraine.

Rossall School in Fleetwood spent a week lovingly converting one of their buildings into the home for the Ukrainian family after getting a plea for help.

Headmaster Jeremy Quatermain said the situation in Ukraine has really touched the school community, so they decided to do what they could to help, including welcoming those fleeing into their school community.

He said: "We know that what we can accomplish is relatively modest in the grand scheme of things but amidst such tragedy, we hope that the Ukrainians we welcome into our community will feel the love, kindness and compassion of this incredibly special community."

This three bedroom house has been renovated to house family fleeing war. Credit: ITV

Current pupils have been raising money to support relief operations in Ukraine itself, while the wider Rossallian community has contributed to a fund established in order to support a small number of Ukrainian children for as long as is needed.

Yuliia from Kharkiv reached out to Jeremy and asked if he could sponsor her and her young boys Oleg and Vladimir.

Over a week, students, teachers and local people got together to turn a vacant three bedroom house in need of repair into a lovely family home.

The community donated clothes, furniture, labour as well as anything else the family would need.

Students, teachers and the local community came together to give the family everything they needed to start a new life. Credit: Rosall School

A Ukrainian student at the school Pavlo has been helping the school, and the family, communicate as a translator.

He moved to the UK five years ago and his family are still in west Ukraine.

He said: "It's nice to know the school cares about Ukraine, I felt like I couldn't do anything because I was stuck here, but I now feel like I'm helping Ukrainian people."

Pavlo added he had been worried about his family, but for now they are safe.

And, the school is not just helping one family, they are also taking in six Ukrainian students fleeing war.

These students have all been given free places at a school where people can pay up to £35,000 to attend each year.

The family were greeted at the airport but Rossall School headmaster Jeremy Quartermain.