By Jake Rusby
For Alona Mochulska, North Shields has provided something almost all of us take granted: safety.
Alona left her home, a small town in the Vinnytsia region of central Ukraine, to journey to the North East after Russia invaded her homeland in 2022.
Landing in the middle of the night at Newcastle Airport, with one hand she grasped the single, small suitcase she had hastily packed and brought with her; with the other, she guided her daughter Sofiia (sic) out of the terminal and onwards towards their new life in England.
She remembers: “We thought we would be ok after Russia invaded, but after seeing the news on TV about lots of victims being killed we decided we had to move. At that point we didn’t know to what country, we just had to get to a safe place.
“We didn’t really spend any time packing, we just left. I had to think about my daughter. I kept thinking about what would happen if the Russian army came to my house. Although we were not near the front line, it was dangerous everywhere.
“I saw that the UK had started a campaign to provide homes for Ukrainian people. I put a post into a Facebook group and was contacted by a volunteer from Whitley Bay who was trying to find families for refugees. She told us all about the North East and it sounded wonderful. She found us my first hosts – Gemma and Dan Saleh, who lived in Whitley Bay.
“They opened their doors and their hearts for us. They gave us everything and we are so grateful. But, most importantly, they gave us a chance to live new lives.”
After a year living with Gemma’s family, Alona and Sofiia, now eight, found their own home in North Shields. In November 2023, Alona took up the new role of Community Connector at the life-changing charity Cedarwood, on the Meadow Well Estate, helping to forge friendships and bonds between the native North Shields community and her fellow Ukrainians, who now also call this town their home.
She is also leading a new project, Uk-rainian Life on the Tyne, which will be a celebration of both British and Ukrainian cultures and the developed friendships between the two communities.
She adds: “At Cedarwood we have lots of sessions bringing together the local community, for example Ukrainian crafts, cooking or even watching Ukrainian films.
“We want to share our traditions with British people. This is also a way for us to keep our traditions alive while we are away from our homeland. I love working there because I love helping people and supporting them in different ways.
“I also love living in North Shields. There are many beautiful parts and people are very friendly and polite. They have helped me a lot and I am very grateful.”
Despite finding a new life in North Shields, Alona still misses her home, and her family in particular:
“My father is in the local army, trying to protect people in my hometown. Every night, drones are flying overhead and it’s very scary. I think about the safety of my parents all of the time and miss them so much.
“I was so lucky to see my parents every day. Unfortunately, now it is just a dream to see my parents again and to tell them how much I love them. We should appreciate life and our families; and treasure the precious moments.”
What does the future hold for Alona and her daughter? At the moment, she does not know.
Alona has set her aspirations high: Having studied for – and passed – GCSEs in English and Maths, she now wants to study at university in the UK.
However, with their Visas due to expire at the end of 2026, it could be that before-too-long mother and daughter will have to swap the safety of the North East for the uncertainty of her embattled homeland.
One thing is for sure: while she is here, Alona is making a real, positive difference to North Shields and its community. She’s now one of our own.
