Ukrainian families are facing homelessness in Farnham and nearby areas as supporters struggle to find places and volunteers.

The Herald has reported on several Ukrainian refugees trying to find a place to call home in the UK.

Tanya, a single mother, and her 15-year-old son Vlad will be homeless on July 10, if nothing becomes available. 

Kate Larmer from Rowledge, who co-founded the Farnham Homes for Ukraine group in 2022, says finding accommodation for Ukrainians has become nearly impossible.

She said: “He has been through so much this boy and to be at school at Weydon at 15-years-old, and the thought of having to be taken out of school. Just as he is either doing his GCSEs or he's in the middle of the preparation for them. 

“If you have been bombed and lost your country and it's at war, it's pretty much a double whammy.”

Serhii and Liubov Sirenko
Serhii and Liubov Sirenko fled from Kharkiv in Ukraine, which is under constant attack (Serhii and Liubov Sirenko)

Serhii and Liubov Sirenko are grandparents who are in a similar situation. They arrived on June 15 and have been sleeping on the sofa. Their son lives in Farnham with his wife and daughter in a two-bedroom flat, but there is not enough room for all of them.

Kate added: “It is just impossible for these families to find housing on the open market because of the prejudices people encounter regardless of nationality. 

“Due to the fact they are on Universal Credit, but it’s also compounded by the fact that they are Ukrainian.”

According to a BBC investigation, Surrey has welcomed the most Ukrainians under the Homes for Ukraine scheme, with more than 12,000 in the South East.

But for some, it is a race against time to find sponsors or people with the right contacts who can help them find a home.