Fifty Ukrainian orphans fleeing the Russian invasion have arrived in Callander.
Youngsters, aged between four and 17, as well as nine “house mothers” arrived in Scotland on Wednesday night.
The children were brought from Poland to Scotland and given sanctuary in a property near Loch Venachar by a Scots charity.
The charity Dnipro Kids organised the move and enlisted the help of Stirling Council. Both are working to provide a temporary home before the children are moved to Edinburgh.
Dnipro Kids was launched in September 2005 when Hibernian travelled to Dnipropetrovsk for a UEFA Cup tie. Hibs supporters organised a charitable collection for some local orphans.
Following the arrival of the children at their safe haven in rural Stirling, the charity’s chairman Steve Carr expressed relief that the children had finally arrived.
Their plane came down in Edinburgh on Wednesday night after an agonising two-week travel visa hold-up.
The young people were then transported to the Callander base where they will live until they are moved to a new property in Edinburgh at a later date.
Steve said: “The worst bit was when their flight to the UK was cancelled on Monday.
“I was so deflated. I began to question if it would happen.”
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Steve said Scottish MP Ian Blackford had been like “a dog with a bone” in pushing in Westminster for the children to be given immediate clearance to get to Scotland.
“Ian was superb. He pushed for us at every stage.”
In a statement, a spokesperson for Stirling Council said: “Stirling Council is proud to be working with the charity Dnipro Kids to provide sanctuary for children and young people fleeing the war in Ukraine.
“The priority of the council, Dnipro Kids and all public sector partners is to ensure the children feel safe, secure and stable after the trauma of fleeing their war-torn homeland.
“As a result, when the children arrive at their accommodation in the Callander area, the council asks that their privacy is respected as they adjust to their new surroundings.”
Dnipro Kids board member Robert Brown from Stirling has helped to co-ordinate the move.
