A UKRAINIAN woman now living in Petersfield says a newly-formed Ukrainian choir can help ease the stress of being a refugee and the worry for their homeland as the war with Russia intensifies.

Olena Petrovska said: “We all find Petersfield a safe and welcoming town, full of friendly people. But we are all going through a lot of challenges.

“To lessen our stress, we organised a Ukrainian choir to help heal our inner pain for a while, support our fellow citizens and share our culture.

“We hope to find a venue for our rehearsals soon to prepare some Christmas carols to share.”

One of the major sources of concern for Ukrainians who relocated to Petersfield is earning enough so they can afford to live here.

Olena said: “A lot of Ukrainians here are highly- qualified professionals with degrees, but to confirm your degree can cost up to £1,000 to get the necessary paperwork.

“It’s also impossible to learn English in a couple of months, and without that you can’t get a highly-paid job.

“With a low-paid job, you can’t afford a tenancy, and even if you manage to pay the rent you need to prove you can pay it in the future.”

And on the back of that, the six-month limit on the government’s Homes for Ukrainians scheme is fast approaching for many of them.

Olena said: “A lot Ukrainians have been here six months already. Some are blessed with incredible hosts who are ready to keep us as long as necessary.

“But a lot of mums and children will face homelessness very soon – and because they see no way out of the situation, many are thinking of going back to Ukraine.

“But the news from there is really bad lately – it’s absolutely not safe there.

“All these issues add much stress to already-traumatised people.”