As rockets and mortar fire rained down on Kyiv and Russian tanks moved menacingly on the capital’s streets, a former Ripon Grammar School student and his partner, hatched a plan to flee Ukraine and help others seeking sanctuary abroad.

Teachers Lewis Edwards, 33, and Tanya Bogdanovska, 30, arrived in Uzhhorod in the early hours of yesterday morning, after leaving Kyiv on Friday to drive 500 kilometres to the border with Slovakia.

Today they face a long wait to cross into the neighbouring country, where their plans for a shelter that will provide assistance to fellow refugees from Ukraine are starting to take shape.

They have growing support from a team of people that includes doctors and other professionals.

Fundraising and advice

Back home in Ripon, Lewis’s family launched a Go Fund Me page yesterday, which aims to raise an initial £10,000 to get their humanitarian venture off the ground.

At the time of publication, more than £3,000 had been raised.

Advice is being provided by Nicola David, chair of Ripon City of Sanctuary, who has expertise in resettlement programmes from her work with organisations that have assisted Syrian refugees.

She said:

“I was in contact with Lewis yesterday to offer advice on the structures that need to be put into place, both here and in Slovakia, to support the shelter in its work.”

Lewis Edwards, with his mother, Ali. Picture: the Edwards family

His mother, Ali, said:

“We have been worrying, as we have witnessed hour by hour coverage of Russia’s invasion and attacks on Kyiv and other parts of Ukraine, while praying that Lewis and Tanya will get out safely.

“I’m very proud of them for the way that they always think about others and hope that people in Ripon and further afield will give their financial support at this desperate time for the people of Ukraine.”

The horror in Ukraine

Last night, Lewis told the Stray Ferret about the horror of seeing his adopted country invaded by Russia.

He said:

“A week ago, Tanya and I were teaching children at a private secondary school in Kyiv and on Thursday, our lives were turned upside down as the first rockets and mortars were fired at Ukraine and the invasion began.

“We sought safety in the shelter of an underground metro station, but could hear explosions above and when we emerged we discovered that residential blocks, schools, hospitals and nurseries in Kyiv and other parts of Ukraine had been indiscriminately attacked by the Russians.

“Then came a terrifying moment as we walked along the street and heard the sound of a gun being cocked. We didn’t know if we were the target, all we could do was hope and fortunately we survived.”

Marina Godwin has spoke of heartbreak and anguish for her family in Ukraine.

Mrs Godwin, who has lived in England for eight years, works as a care team leader at Vida Grange care home in Pannal.

The 38-year-old said she is “frightened” for her parents, sister, brother-in-law and extended family in the country.

Most of her family live near the town of Myrhorod in the Poltava region in central Ukraine. Myrhorod is home to a military base and has been heavily bombed.

Mrs Godwin said her family are safe but their proximity to the areas being bombed is a huge concern. She said:

“I’m incredibly terrified for my family. They just don’t know what to do. my sister said they can’t eat, of course when you’re worried and anxious of course you can’t eat.

“They have tried to get to my grandma nearby but can’t, there are just no forms of transport.”

Marina Godwin

Her sister lives further north in Kharkiv which borders with Russia. Mrs Godwin said her and her husband are sleeping on the floor in fear of missiles getting through the windows of their home.

Mrs Godwin said a shortage of fuel, cash and transport means many people are struggling to escape to safety. She’s heard from friends that there are hundreds of people attempting to find refuge in Western Ukraine.

Mrs Godwin and her husband Brian used to live in Harrogate and now live in North Leeds.

The 38-year-old has called on western leaders to act,. She appealed for them to help her home country:

“It’s difficult to imagine this can happen in the 21st century in the middle of Europe.

“I know the UK, US and many European countries have put sanctions in place. I think it would be good to supply Ukraine with better weapons, maybe European countries could help to fight but at the same time i understand it’s a dangerous situation globally and could trigger a global war.”

Mrs Godwin is also studying to be a mental health nurse at Leeds Beckett University, she said she feels “helpless” that all she can offer is support over the phone.

She hasn’t been home since July 2019 due to the pandemic, but is hopeful to be able to visit her family this year.

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The invasion has worsened overnight with Russian forces now occupying Chernobyl and continuing to perform missile strikes on towns and cities across Ukraine.

When watching President Putin’s interviews on TV, Mrs Godwin said:

“Why would someone want to find a ridiculous excuse to invade a neighbour country? I know there are reasons but it doesn’t justify a war.

“There should not be any single person killed, the war should not be happening, In my opinion there is always room for negotiation.”

She has also called on Western leaders to aid those trying to escape to safety in nearby countries by making immigration rules simpler.

Despite her desperate concern for her family, Mrs Godwin is also hopeful for the future:

“Life will go on, it will definitely go on.”

Peter Dutka has spoken of his devastation and concern for family in Ukraine after waking up this morning to the news that Russia had invaded.

Mr Dutka lives in Ripon and was brought up in England by his father, who was born in Ukraine. He still has family living in western Ukraine near the Polish border.

Mr Dutka hasn’t spoken to his Ukrainian family yet today but said he will call them as soon as he can. He described the invasion as “deeply, deeply troubling” and distressing, adding:

“The news is devastating on a family front but it will have ramifications across the world too. You wouldn’t think in times like these a land war would happen, but it has. The consequences of this could be huge. It’s just devastating.”

Mr Dutka, who was due to visit his family this year, said the United Nations and the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation needed to be “more firm” and take a stand against President Putin.

“I am really proud of my Ukrainian heritage so this is very frightening. I have aunties, uncles and cousins over there, of course it’s a huge worry for us.

“I’m welling up just thinking about it.”

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In the last 24 hours, Russia has launched missile strikes on major cities in Ukraine, forcing people to flee their homes.

UK Foreign Secretary Liz Truss described the attack as an “illegal, unprovoked invasion” and warned the Russian ambassador that the UK would be “imposing severe sanctions”.

An advisor to the Ukrainian president has said 40 people died in the first few hours of Russian strikes.