A RESIDENT in Copeland is set to welcome a refugee family who are fleeing the Russian invasion.

James Dickaty from Drigg and his family will soon open their home to a mother and her two boys.

Explaining his experience of the process, Mr Dickaty said: "We’ve been through the visa process we had to do all of that for her because her English isn’t very good.

"That took me 16 hours to do."

Mr Dickaty identified several issues with the application process but said: "The Government had to quickly cobble this scheme together."

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The Ukrainian family has entered a critical point in the process. Mr Dickaty said: "Our family had to travel from Resno to Warsaw. They met our intermediary on the ground in Poland who talked them through the application process."

"We’re ten days waiting now since that day, we’re waiting for it to come through."

Mr Dickaty is checking on the Government website twice a day for the good news that the refugee family can travel to Cumbria.

But he said: "It’s a little bit haphazard, we’ve applied early and some people are overtaking them in the process who applied later.”

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Mr Dickaty said that the family felt reassured after speaking to Cumbria County Council's refugee case officer.

It has been recognised that rural communities may be a challenge for Ukrainian refugees but the community in Copeland is endeavouring to make them feel welcome and set up a support network for when they arrive.

Mr Dickaty said: "We’ve got a bit of a network to get local business support and the community to help. One of the positive things about rural communities is everybody wants to help, there’s been a real groundswell of support.

"It’s been a really heartening response."

"Eskdale, Millom, Seascale and Drigg will all have families" he said.

Any family welcoming refugees in the area can join the Cumbria Ukrainian Refugees Sponsors Support Network on Facebook.

Mr Dickaty believes that the current refugee scheme will mean a breaking down of barriers not seen in those previous.

"I think it’s harder to understand it when there’s a big cultural divide but it’s easier to understand when there’s a smaller divide like there is between the UK and Ukraine."

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