A Dalry man is opening his four-bedroom home to Ukrainian refugees following the sad loss of his wife in January.
Paul Goodwin will take in a mother and her two sons from Kharkiv once their visas are finally approved.
He’s updated electrics, bought new bunk beds, a tumble drier, a freezer – and a smart TV with Ukrainian news channels.
Paul, 68, is looking forward to welcoming his guests – who are currently stuck in Poland.
He told the News: “The mother’s a city dweller in her 30s and a primary school teacher with two boys aged 10 and six.
“They have been living on a Polish farm since they left Kharkiv in late March. I have done a fairly substantial upgrading of the house and am making three rooms available for their sole use.
“It’s the least I can do – and it’s given me a prompt to get things done around the house.”
He added: “My wife Betty died in January – it would have been our Golden wedding this year on September 30.
“I have a big empty house now and I need a project – I have always liked helping people.”
The refugees have yet to receive visas from the UK Government – a process Paul believes is overly bureaucratic.
He said: “I don’t understand why it takes so long to get women and children to a place of safety.
“There’s beds made up here for them, somewhere warm and safe and a school place ready for the kids.
“I don’t understand why it takes weeks and weeks.
“We have to wait until all three visas are issued – and it’s zero out of three at the minute.”
Paul added: “It’s quite concerning, the conditions they are living in without the support of her husband or other family members.
“She’s holding down two jobs – one to pay the farmer and the other to earn money for food.
“They’ve already travelled eight hours to the UK Government visa application centre in a Warsaw hotel to get paperwork and biometrics done.
“It’s a two day trip – and when the visas are ready they’ll have to make the same journey again.
“They can’t afford the flights to Edinburgh so I have already made a commitment to pay for those.
“The return flights are covered too so they don’t feel they’re stuck here.”
Retired professional Paul has been volunteering since he and Betty moved to the Glenkens in 2007.
He joined Galloway Mountain Rescue Team, drives for community minibuses and patient transport and ran an after-school club for nine years.
Paul said: “I intend to use the minibus for trips to Dumfries where there’s two good Eastern European food shops.
“There’s also Ukrainian refugee families in South Ayrshire and I plan take the Dalry families to Ayr beach so they can all meet up.”
Meanwhile, Mr Goodwin hailed Glenkens generosity as bikes, toys and books flooded in – with one local lady making a pot of soup for the refugees while Paul collects them from Edinburgh airport.
He said: “I’ve been embarrassed by the all the offers of help I’ve had.
“If you have something to give to people then you give it – that’s what happening in the Glenkens.”
