Across the Excelcare Family, we have many inspirational people. From the people who live in our homes to those who work in them, everyone has their own individual stories and life experiences that make them unique.
Nataliia works in the kitchen team at The Willows Care Home in Milton Keynes and has a very inspirational story about her journey from living and working in Ukraine to settling into life in the UK after the start of the war in February 2022.
Below, she shares her story in a first-hand account.
“My name is Nataliia and I was working as a Doctor in a Laboratory in Ukraine before the war began on 24.02.2022. This was an incredibly scary time for all Ukrainians, with concerns about our health, welfare and safety.
“I knew my country was no longer safe and with tragedy taking place across the country, I would have to move away from the place I called home.
“I saw that the British government was offering support to people living in Ukraine and launched ‘The Ukraine Family Scheme Program’ on 1 March 2022, which invited Ukrainian nationals who have family members that are living in Britain to come and settle in the UK. This was a lifeline for me and my mum, and we both packed what we could carry and moved over to the UK in April 2022.
“It was a bit of a shock at first, moving here and starting a new life, but exciting at the same time. I started looking for jobs and in August 2022 I secured a role at The Willows Care Home, working as part of the kitchen team.
“Everybody in the home welcomed me with open arms and have been incredibly supportive which has helped me settle in; I was even nominated employee of the month which I was very proud to receive.
“This is not the journey I had planned out, but with strong women and men around me I am very grateful to everyone and plan to continue my life and career here in the UK.”
Nataliia’s story is inspiring, and we’re delighted she has settled into life in the UK and her role at The Willows Care Home.