Relief for Ukrainian mum as she finally arrives in High Peak after nightmare journey

Olha Pattinson and her son Edward hid in a bomb shelter and endured a 20-hour wait to cross the border but have now arrived safely in Chapel-en-le-Frith.

The 39-year-old said: “I’m happy to be here and to be safe. I am frustrated for what is happening to my country and I’m scared for the family and friends I have left behind but I’m happy we are safe and don’t have to worry about bombs falling on us anymore.”

Olha met Christopher, who is from the High Peak, while they were both holidaying in Poland in 2015. The couple were married in 2017. Olha returned to the Ukraine to be with her family after her father died, but then the pandemic hit meaning Christopher, 55, had not seen his family for more than two years.

He said: “I have missed them so much these last two years.

“When the war broke out I was beside myself with worry and my main priority was to get them both here so they could be safe.”

Olha and four-year-old Edward, who had a brain trauma at birth which has left him disabled, were living in Lviv when the invasion began.

She said: “No one believed it had started because we didn’t want to believe it – but it was very real.”

Leaving their house, Olha and Edward took refuge in a bomb shelter.

“It hadn’t been used for a very long time and wasn’t suitable to have people in,” Olha said. “It was cold, there was water on the floor and all the time we were just praying the bombs didn’t land on us.”

Olha then made the decision to leave the shelter and head for the Polish border where she had a 20-hour wait to be seen by officials.

“I couldn’t keep Edward warm, he was cold like ice and I felt terrible but I knew we had to get out. When we finally crossed the border there was a huge sense of relief knowing we were safe.”

Olha then had to get to the visa centre in Warsaw but found it difficult to find transport which could carry Edward’s buggy. She was then put up in a small shared flat while they waited.

“I was full of worry my visa would be denied,” she said. “After two weeks Christopher rang the embassy and we were told it had been approved more than ten days ago but no one had told me so I could have been here sooner.”

The pair arrived on March 22. They then had to travel to Manchester to pick up the biometric cards which will allow them to access services like healthcare and education.

Christopher added: “Everyone has gone out of their way to make them feel welcome and at home. One person dropped off some Ukrainian food and another has made a mosaic of sunflowers, Ukraine’s national flower.

“Thank you to everyone – I’m just glad they are here and safe.”

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