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Dear Andy Morris,

The Rugby Observer

I am writing to propose an uplifting and impactful profile story for your esteemed

publication. The focus of this piece is Helen Aris, a dedicated resident of Leamington

Spa whose unwavering commitment to assisting Ukrainian refugees has captured

the hearts of her community and beyond. Helen's story is one of compassion and

community spirit. With her deep-rooted connections to Ukraine and her desire to

make a difference, Helen has devoted her time to helping refugees find their way

around her hometown.

In my interview with Helen, she opens up about her insights into her personal

journey and the challenges she has faced along the way. I believe this story would

resonate deeply with your publication's readership and align with your narrative of

local, impactful news.

Thank you for considering this pitch, and I look forward to the opportunity to

collaborate and share Helen's inspiring journey with your readers.

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Daniela Sansome-Smith NO PIX Format - 1

Rugby Observer

March 20th 2024

Women with a Heart of Gold: Her Story of Tireless Efforts for Support for Ukrainian

Refugees.

In the wake of conflict and displacement, some compassion has no limits. Helen,

who has strong ties to Ukraine, has emerged as a prominent figure in her

community. I was fortunate enough to be able to sit down with Helen in her home

and discuss the many creative and wonderful things she has done to make all

Ukrainian refugees feel welcome when arriving in Leamington Spa and make this

foreign town home.

As I walked through her house, she apologised for the mountain of paperwork on her

kitchen table. I asked what it all was, and she kindly replied, "I do everything I can to

make the transition as smooth as possible for the refugees, so the majority of this is

forms for new schools and housing." We sat down, and as soon as I saw Helen take

out her notebook and flick through it, I realised how much this extortionary woman

had done to help these refugees over the past three years.

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Helen lived in Ukraine nearly 15 years ago, and now, at 56 years old, she lives in

Leamington Spa with her husband and daughter. She remains working at a cleaning

firm, which is her full-time job, along with tirelessly helping Ukrainians behind the

scenes. Helen's home reflects her generous spirit, adorned with cross-stitched

pillows and rugs with quotes like, "Home is where the heart is.”

It was clear to me as I was warmly welcomed into Helen's home that she was a kind

individual, and her unfathomable kindness doesn’t fall far from the tree. “My parents

are an example of how helping people can change the world; I live by that." This was

one of the first things Helen said to me once I sat down. With both her parents

having been active members of the community since they created their own charity

many years ago, they served as role models in showing the importance of helping

one another.

While at university, Helen studied sociology and took days out of her week to help at

local charities. With her upbringing and kind values, it was inevitable that one day

she would be making a positive stamp on the world.

As she began to tell me the story of how this all started, her eyes welled, but she

also spoke with a big smile, as if she were reminiscing. "I spent several days at first

just shocked at everything that was going on, but watching it through a screen made

me feel useless," she said, clearly irritated at her past self.

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Having spent time living in Ukraine and working there, she developed friendships

and deep bonds with the local community. “Even though it has been many years

since I was living there, I was lucky enough to still be in contact with a lot of my

friends, and so I rang them, as many of them as I could, and asked them what I

could possibly do to help,” she said warmly.

“I posted letters and messaged the people of Leamington, asking if they could host

the refugees that would be coming to Leamington; thankfully, I got an amazing

response in the beginning.”

Over the last three years, she has proudly dedicated an incalculable amount of time

to assisting Ukrainian refugees to her hometown in regain their footing after the war

broke out. "It all began with just 8 women, 3 ladies, and their children," said Helen.

You could see this deeply resonate with her. "As I saw them arrive, it just made me

wonder if that had been me and my little girl and my heart just broke.”

"What can I do to help? I thought to myself day and night,” said Helen. With the UK

government shortly announcing the sponsor scheme for Ukrainian refugees, Helen

began her journey to help as many families as possible get back on their feet after

being displaced from their homes in Ukraine. With friends still residing there, Helen

knew she was going to help. "I was crying and upset watching cities I knew over

there being bombed; I felt it was out of my hands," she said. A place she once called

home was now in ruins, with people fending for their lives as she watched the news

in despair.
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Unlike other countries at the time that were embracing a more “open-armed

approached,” as reported, the UK imposed restrictions on Ukrainian refugees,

limiting the number allowed entry. Helen went on to describe the initial month as a

period of “constant battle,” as she tirelessly advocated for these individuals facing

adversity.

“There was one girl who was eighteen, and her mum wasn’t able to come with her;

this was so deeply heartbreaking,” Helen recounted, highlighting the realities which

were faced by those caught in the midst of conflict.

As her platform expanded, Helen established a sponsor WhatsApp group, providing

a vital lifeline for individuals seeking guidance and support. "I became a sort of

leader in a sense for the sponsors," she explained, recognising the importance of

creating a cohesive community amidst the chaos. In the wake of recent events,

Helen emerged as a beacon of strength and solidarity, rallying others to join her in

extending a helping hand to those embarking on a new chapter in an unfamiliar

home.

This soon led to appearances on LBC radio, and engaging in discussions with

politicians like Kier Starmer, Helen fearlessly voiced the pressing concerns facing

Ukrainian refugees. "I found I was making a name for myself," she acknowledged.

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With this responsibility, Helen wondered what her next steps would be to make this

process easier for everyone, and although things were starting to look up, this was

only the beginning of many difficulties to come. "As they were continuing to arrive,

we soon realised lots of them didn't have English language”. Although the council

did, in fact, provide English lessons, they only began in September, while the

refugees were arriving in April. Helen took charge of the situation, “I gathered ten

English teachers to plan English classes, and we created English classes each

week”, but this was just the beginning.

Having everyone meet up in a safe environment was an important part of making

everyone feel like they still had an aspect of “normal” amidst the terror they had been

facing. Which is how the organisation of ‘Hand in Hand’ was born. “This organisation

is a proud moment for me, amongst all of this, we wanted to focus on these amazing

people and celebrate.” Helen continued with passion as she elaborated on her future

plans: “In the face of such adversity, it is wonderful to see such community building

and resilience, and I hope we can continue to support everyone in more ways than

one.”

Although Helen has done her upmost efforts in providing homes and safe spaces for

all of the refugees she could it wasn’t soon after the ‘Homes for Ukraine scheme’

was reaching its end of the sixth month sponsorship period, meaning half of those

who had arrived were now coming to an end of their scheme, and unsure what their

next steps would be.

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Although with this being around Christmas time, knowing is a special time of year in

most people's calendars, and as January 6th approached (the date when Ukrainians

traditionally celebrate Christmas according to the Gregorian calendar), Helen knew

she wanted to host a Christmas party. Despite her expectations, Helen was

overjoyed to learn that hundreds of Ukrainians would be in attendance at the Royal

Pump Rooms. Having organised this festive gathering, which provided a safe space

for people to spend Christmas with a sense of normality.

“With 200 Ukrainians all getting together for the first time in a large group and being

able to have fun, it felt so special to be a part of it,” Helen gleamed. Her face said it

all as she looked back down at the comfort of the words she had previously written in

her notebook. But I believe this was all still fresh in her mind.

She continued effervescently, describing the atmosphere in the room that night as

"heart-warming and magical." "We understand that they don't want to be in the UK;

they want to be home, but Warwick and Leamington have welcomed them with open

hearts." She added with a genuine warmth.

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Among some of the refugees touched by Helens kindness is Tanya and her young

son George, who arrived in Leamington a few years ago and were welcomed into

Helens home. “They were the first family we sponsored and they shortly became a

part of our family,” Helen explained, her voice filled with affection.

Eager to hear their perspective, I spoke with Tanya and George, who have since

moved into their own home in Leamington. Their gratitude for Helen's support is

palpable. "We came here not knowing much English and afraid we would have no

home, but since meeting Helen and what she has done for us, I haven’t felt the

burden of worry since," Tanya shared, her voice tinged with emotion. Their story is a

poignant reminder of the power of compassion and community support in times of

need, which was shown strongly by Helen.

However, not all Ukrainian refugees experienced the same level of support and

stability, particularly those living with different sponsors. Helen explained, "In the

beginning, everyone was happy to host and have them in their home, but then the

reality sort of set in of living with other people." Unfortunately, some refugees faced

dire circumstances, such as one individual who was given just one hour to leave her

sponsor's home.”

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"We tried to find her some temporary accommodation," Helen recounted, "but it was

in awful condition from the council, with no beds, carpet, or curtains, so I decided I

would have her come live with me too." These distressing situations shed light on the

harsh realities that many refugees endure. "I couldn’t bear it," Helen admitted, her

words weighed down by the unfairness of it all. Her compassionate response reflects

her unwavering commitment to providing refuge and support to those in need, even

in the face of daunting challenges.

Helen's tireless efforts haven’t just been recognised by locals. The recognition has

poured in with accolades, including the MP Community Excellence Award, a

testament to her dedication to supporting Ukrainian refugees. Her remarkable

contributions have not gone unnoticed by royalty either, as she received a heartfelt

letter of gratitude from the Royal Highness the Princess of Wales, thanking her for

her support through the royal foundation. These established honours highlight her

impact and underscore the importance of her work as she continues to make a

difference.

As Helen continued to share her story with me, her eyes lit up as she described the

moment the letter for the Community Award arrived in the post and the

overwhelming sense of significance it held for her. Proudly displayed on her wall,

framed alongside cherished memories, the letter serves as a constant reminder of

her meaningful connection with the Ukrainian people she has dedicated herself to

helping over the years.

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It is evident that Helen's impact has had a prominent impact on many of the

Ukrainian refugees who came to Leamington Spa three years ago. In three years,

Helen has been able to create a charity, organise countless events, and, most

importantly, bring smiles to those who have faced unimaginable hardships. This

powerful story isn’t over yet and Helen continues day to day pouring her heart out to

help.

“I’ve always known I wanted to make somebody smile, let alone having made

hundreds," said Helen Aris.

ends