Four years on, and Ukrainian refugees face uncertain times over visas

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10 March 2026

Four years after fleeing Kyiv, Olena Andrusenko has built a fragile new life for her family in Dorset, now shadowed by uncertainty

‘We live in Sherborne, we rent a house I like so much. I had this vision of England as a very rainy, grey country, and then I came here and saw Dorset. You have these beautiful hills and so many animals. And so many flowers, even in winter.’
Today, as signs of spring appear all over Dorset, those early days when war was declared in Ukraine seem distant. But four years ago, Dorset families cleared annexes, community groups organised collections of clothing and essential items, and the county started welcoming refugees from Ukraine. Olena Andrusenko was one of the hundreds of families who escaped the war with her two children.

Olena, Lilia and Markiian Andrusenko sightseeing in London

The outbreak of war
‘I couldn’t believe that the war would start in the civilized world, in the 21st century. I was working in a bank in Kyev, leading a team of twelve colleagues and moving up the career ladder. On October 2021, my mother was diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer. It was so painful and scary. But we fought, gritting our teeth, going through chemotherapy and its side effects. Watching your loved one fading away, not just your mother, but also your best friend, is incredibly painful.
‘The beginning of the war found us in bed in the darkness of a very early February morning. Through my sleep I heard several explosions outside, car alarms went off. A thought flashed through my sleepy mind – THAT IS IT. It has been started.’
Very sadly, Olena’s mother died shortly after the Russians invaded. She was forced to bury her in Russian occupied territory.
‘I clearly remember my pain, grief, I couldn’t breathe, there was something heavy in my chest, rage, hatred for Russian soldiers, Russia, hatred for these invaders and the war in general.
‘And I remember my dad, he was very quiet, with tears on his face, breathing heavily, he went out to the village, found a coffin in the ruins of a ritual shop and brought it home. The Russian soldiers saw him dragging the coffin and turned away … I hope at least they had something resembling guilt.’
Coming to England
An opportunity arose to come to Britain on one of the organised Ukraine refugee schemes for Olena, her 14 year old daughter Lilia and six-year-old son Markiian. When Olena spoke to her daughter, they thought they would like to stay with an older man with dogs. By coincidence, Allan Peters (owner of three labradors) was looking to take in some refugees to his home in Sherborne. When the two spoke on WhatsApp they were more than happy with the dogs, and Olena explained how much they helped Markiian.
‘When he first arrived in England he was quite traumatised and couldn’t sleep. The dogs stayed with him and helped him. Some of his first words in English were “Sit” and “get down!”
Three weeks after Olena arrived, Allan was diagnosed with what was thought to be terminal cancer. He offered to get them rehoused as he could not expect them to care for him, but Olena didn’t hesitate to stay, supporting him when he needed her.

Olena (left), Allan Peters, Markiian and Lilia have created a new family unit together in Sherborne

The Visa Challenge
The fourth anniversary of the war in Ukraine brings a further challenge for Ukrainians in the United Kingdom over their visas. Unlike other countries, there is no automatic extension, leaving hundreds of people unable to make plans for the future. According to Dorset Council, since 2022, Dorset has welcomed 1,143 Ukrainians seeking safety. Of these, 712 guests remain in the county, with:
•175 currently living in hosted accommodation
•537 now settled in their own rented homes
•26 more expected to arrive in the near future
Unlike many other refugee programmes, which tend to focus on urban areas, lots of Ukrainians opted to come to rural areas like Dorset and Somerset because they are used to countryside settings.
Allan is frustrated about the government stance on visas: ‘I offered to help these people. They ended up helping me … now we’re a little family. A lot of other European countries were a lot more open and welcoming than the UK. Olena had to jump through all sorts of hoops to get to me. At one time they couldn’t find the childrens’ applications and they asked Olena if she wanted to leave them behind! Well that’s ridiculous.
‘Imagine you don’t know where you are going to be living after October this year and you have children. My personal view is the government won’t send anyone back to a war zone. Even if the war finished today, I don’t think anyone is going anywhere for two years because they have to rebuild Ukraine. Olena’s flat is a shell – there’s nothing there. France has allowed refugeees from Ukraine another four or five years because they understand the war will not be over.’
MP for West Dorset, Edward Morello, has already helped Ukrainian families in Dorset with their visa problems: ‘The main problem is processing times, the lack of updates and replies to queries, and time taken for a decision. In West Dorset, one host family is supporting two Ukrainian children whose visa extension applications were submitted well within the recommended timeframe but have been delayed for months. In contrast, their mother’s later application was processed and approved quickly. The absence of clear communication or explanation has caused significant uncertainty for the family, despite their full compliance with Home Office guidance.

‘In another case, a Ukrainian child in West Dorset almost missed an overseas school trip – which had been awarded in recognition of his academic progress – because his visa had not been processed. His mother received no updates, and his younger sister was left questioning whether she was even permitted to remain in the UK. Although the case has now been resolved, and the family can stay, it required direct parliamentary intervention to reach a conclusion.
‘The problems are all down to a massive immigration/asylum backlog – not with Ukrainian refugees specifically, but more generally at a Home Office that is struggling to cope.
‘The obvious answer is to create an immigration and asylum department separate from the Home Office, which is properly funded and staffed to deal with the number of applications. And to prioritise applications from people who have the right to be here, like Ukrainians. However, politically this is very difficult for the Government to do as immigration as a subject is so politically toxic at the moment.’
Olena is hoping to stay. She has a job here, her daughter is at university now, and her son is progressing well at school.
‘If I have to go back, that’s fair enough, but I want to be sure it is safe.’

Teenage drummers battle it out at Lighthouse final

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Editorial team

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10 March 2026

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Ten teenage drummers from across the country took to the stage at Lighthouse, Poole on Sunday for the final of the Zildjian Young Drummer of the Year competition.
Now in its 24th year, the contest brings together some of the most talented young percussionists aged 16 and under. The finalists each faced three challenges on the day: performing a two-minute solo, playing along to a pre-recorded track, and joining a live band to perform a piece they heard for the first time that day. The judging panel featured some of the UK’s leading session and touring drummers, including Ash Soan (Taylor Swift, Rod Stewart and Snow Patrol), Ben Thomas (Rag ‘N’ Bone Man), Rob Rolfe (Enter Shikari) and former winner JJ Wallace, who has since played with Jorja Smith and Celeste.

The title was won by 16-year-old Ellis Gates from London, who returned to the competition after narrowly missing out last year.
‘The competition was an amazing experience, just as it was last year,’ he said. ‘This year I felt more prepared, and when I performed my solo I felt calm and focused.’
Ellis, who began playing drums as a toddler after receiving a toy drum kit from his grandmother, now studies at the Julian Joseph Jazz Academy and hopes to continue his music education in New York.
Founder Mike Dolbear praised the standard of this year’s finalists. ‘Huge congratulations to all of them – they were incredible,’ he said.
The competition has been hosted at Lighthouse since 2023 and continues to grow internationally, with finals now being staged in the United States and across parts of Europe.

The BV community news section is sponsored by Wessex Internet

Growth needs more than optimism

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Editorial team

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9 March 2026

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When the Chancellor delivered her Spring Forecast, few in the business community expected major policy changes. What many had hoped for, however, was a clearer recognition of the pressures employers are currently navigating.

Across Dorset, businesses are preparing for new obligations under the Employment Rights Act, alongside increases to the national living and minimum wages. These changes come at a time when operating costs remain high and confidence, while improving in some sectors, is still fragile.
Recent research from the British Chambers of Commerce shows that one in four businesses are struggling to pay their energy bills. Dorset firms are not immune from those pressures. While inflation has eased, many costs have not returned to pre-crisis levels, and for smaller employers in particular, margins remain tight.
It is right for government to speak positively about economic progress and the importance of stability. Businesses value certainty.
But confidence cannot be declared into existence. It is built through consistent policy, manageable regulation and realistic support for growth.
The coming months will test that confidence. The potential for renewed volatility in global energy markets, coupled with geopolitical tensions, adds further uncertainty. Dorset businesses are resilient, but resilience should not be mistaken for limitless capacity to absorb additional cost.
If growth is the objective, then employers need the conditions to invest – in people, in innovation and in expansion. Skills remain a crucial part of that picture, and apprenticeships continue to offer a practical route for businesses to develop talent locally while creating meaningful opportunities.
That is why the Dorset Apprenticeship Awards matter. Now in their fifth year, they highlight not only the contribution apprentices make to organisations across the county, but also the personal transformation that comes with the structured training and support.
We regularly hear apprentices say the programme has changed their lives. That is growth in its most tangible form.
While national economic debates continue, there is important work happening here in Dorset. Business will play its part in driving growth – but it needs the right environment to do so.

Celebrating 35 years of exceptional care with UK award

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Editorial team

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9 March 2026

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The not-for-profit Somerset Care Group is kickstarting its 35th year with a UK care award based on customer reviews. Established in 1991, Somerset Care has been recognised as a Top 20 Mid-Size Large Care Home Group in the Carehome.co.uk awards. They celebrate excellence in care by recognising the Top 20 highest-rated Care Home Groups, honouring care homes that have received outstanding reviews from residents, service users and their families and friends.

Eve Mitchell, Somerset Care’s Chief Operating Officer, explains what the accolade means to colleagues across the Somerset Care Group: ‘To receive an award for the care we provide is wonderful, but to know that this stems from independently-verified reviews from our customers and their families means so much more!
‘We are incredibly proud of the high-quality, specialist care which our care home teams provide, and the difference this makes to our residents and their loved ones. This award recognises their dedication to supporting people to live the life they choose.
‘I would like to say thank you to every single customer, resident and family member who has shared their valued feedback on carehome.co.uk. This award means so much because it reflects your experiences of the care we provide.’

Raising a glass to award-winning care at Stockmoor Lodge nursing home, Bridgwater © Somerset Care Group

Recent praise for Somerset Care on carehome.co.uk:
‘Came to Cooksons Court after being discharged from hospital. Booked originally a 2-week stay but have added an extra week. Medical staff, carers etc fantastic. Caring service. No one can do enough for me. Food delicious. Very impressed. Admin staff also so helpful.’ – Respite resident
(Cooksons Court residential and nursing care home, Yeovil)

‘I am exceptionally pleased with the care and compassion all the staff at Calway House have shown in helping my Mum settle in. The staff are friendly, caring & patient. As my Mum has dementia it is such a relief to know she is safe, well fed and cared for. The activities provided every day are a real bonus and have played a massive part in settling my Mum in. Calway House is spotlessly clean every time I visit. All the staff are most welcoming and available to chat to no matter what time of day you arrive. I have no hesitation in recommending Calway House.’ – Daughter of resident
(Calway House residential, dementia and nursing care home, Taunton)

‘A lovely welcoming home with the most amazing staff. There’s always something going on for the residents. Every one’s happy there. Mum is receiving the best care and we know she is being well looked after. As she told us, ‘you can’t look after me as well as they do!’ The food is excellent and a good choice. Visitors are made so welcome – home from home.’ – Daughter of resident
(Wyndham House day care, respite and residential care home, Minehead)
To find out more about the specialist day care, respite breaks, residential care, dementia support, and nursing care offered across Somerset Care’s 22 care homes, please visit somersetcare.co.uk or
call 0800 8174 925.

Boost for community energy projects in Dorset

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Editorial team

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9 March 2026

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Dorset Community Energy has welcomed the Government’s new £1 billion Local Power Plan, describing it as a major opportunity to expand community-owned renewable energy across the county.
The plan – described by ministers as the largest public investment in community energy in UK history – aims to give communities the resources and support to develop their own local energy projects. The programme will include grants, loans, expert advice and targeted investment, alongside efforts to remove regulatory barriers that have historically made it difficult for community schemes to enter the energy market.

Dorset Community Energy team in front of the solar installation at Greenford C of E Primary School, Maiden Newton

There will also be a new Partnership Fund encouraging closer collaboration between local authorities and community energy groups.
Dorset Community Energy says it looks forward to continuing its work with Dorset Council and BCP Council, as well as exploring future opportunities with the national energy body Great British Energy.
The organisation has been developing community-owned renewable projects in Dorset since it was founded in 2013. Over the past decade it has installed 30 solar PV systems on schools, hospitals and community buildings across the county, funded through community share investment.
Together, those projects have generated more than 8,000 MWh of clean electricity – enough to power around 2,400 homes. They have also saved local organisations almost £1 million in energy costs while preventing an estimated 2,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions. Any surplus income from the schemes is reinvested locally through the organisation’s Community Fund, supporting further projects and initiatives across Dorset.
Supporters say the new Local Power Plan could allow projects like these to grow significantly in the coming years, keeping more of the financial benefits of renewable energy within local communities while helping tackle fuel poverty and strengthen energy resilience.
dorsetcommunityenergy.org.uk

The BV community news section is sponsored by Wessex Internet

HMS Repulse survivor Jim Wren dies aged 105

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Editorial team

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9 March 2026

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James ‘Jim’ Wren, one of the last surviving veterans of the sinking of HMS Repulse, has died aged 105.
A Royal Marine, Jim survived the worst naval disaster of the Second World War, endured three and a half years as a prisoner of war under the Japanese, and later became patron of the Force Z, HMS Prince of Wales and HMS Repulse Survivors’ Association.
Born in 1920, Jim joined the Royal Marines in 1939 at the age of 19. After training at Stonehouse in Plymouth, he was posted in 1940 to the battlecruiser HMS Repulse. Launched in 1916, the ship was fast, heavily armed and one of Britain’s key capital ships.

Jim and Margaret Wren on their wedding day in 1946

During Arctic convoy duties, Repulse took part in operations against German battleships like Gneisenau and Bismarck. Jim later recalled the gruelling conditions, but also the camaraderie among the crew. ‘The ship was very well organised, and we had a great Captain,’ he said. ‘It was gruelling work, especially in the Arctic. The camaraderie was marvellous. I met some really super men in those days. I can never forget them.’
In December 1941, HMS Repulse sailed from Singapore as part of Force Z alongside the new battleship HMS Prince of Wales. On 10th December Japanese aircraft attacked, and within hours both ships were sunk. Repulse went down at 12.32pm.
Of her crew, 513 were lost, including 30 of the 55 Royal Marines aboard.
Jim was blown into the sea, covered in oil, and survived by clinging to a Carley float before being rescued. ‘I lost many good friends,’ he said on his 100th birthday. ‘I was with them every day. I can still see their faces.’
After evacuation attempts in Singapore, Jim was captured and taken to Sumatra, where he spent three and a half years in brutal captivity.
Prisoners of war endured starvation rations, disease and forced labour clearing jungle and building airstrips and railways, with mortality rates devastatingly high.
Jim believed he survived because of the bond between the marines, who shared food, protected one another and tried to preserve dignity in impossible circumstances.
He secretly hid rice sacks to use as shrouds for men who died, later gathering jungle leaves when the sacks were taken away.
At the end of the war, Jim endured a ten-week journey home. He returned severely underweight, weighing just six stone. He had met Margaret shortly before deployment, and she waited for him throughout the war. They married a year later and remained together for 74 years, until her death in 2020.
Jim continued serving after the war, including time aboard HMS Vanguard, before moving to Salisbury, where they settled.
On his 100th birthday, the then Prince of Wales commissioned his portrait for Buckingham Palace.
In later life he campaigned for respect and protection of the wrecks of HMS Prince of Wales and HMS Repulse after illegal salvaging desecrated the sites.
At his memorial, the Exhortation and Last Post will sound in memory of the 842 Royal Navy personnel lost when the two ships sank – and for Jim Wren, who carried their memory for more than eighty years.

March jobs in the flower garden

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Editorial team

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8 March 2026

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With frost easing and wildlife stirring, March offers gardeners a final window for planting, dividing and preparing for a busy spring

March is the time to divide your hellebores, once they have finished flowering

If weather allows and the soil isn’t frozen, March is a good time to prepare your flower beds or create new ones. Once the soil is workable, dig in a 5cm (or more) layer of compost or well-rotted manure, add a general-purpose fertiliser, and apply some mulch on top.
Annual flowers can be sown from March onwards: rake soil to a fine tilth on a dry day and protect the seedlings from frost with cloches or horticultural fleece. It’s always best to wait until late March before buying the year’s tender plants such as fuchsias and pelargoniums, unless you have good frost protection.
Clear the winter’s moss and algae from paths and driveways using a pressure washer or patio cleaner. Baking soda can help dry moss out, making it easier to brush away after a few days.
March is the last chance to plant bare-root trees and shrubs, and also the final time to prune bush and climbing roses. Take them back to strong stems, cutting no more than 5mm above a bud. Deadhead the daffodils as the flowers fade, but allow the foliage to die back naturally.
You can also finally deadhead last year’s hydrangea flowers before any new growth begins: cut stems back by about a third.
Slugs can’t be eradicated, but populations can be controlled. Please avoid slug pellets as they harm wildlife. Alternatives include traps (such as beer traps), barriers like sharp grit, eggshells or wool pellets, or removing slugs by hand at night.
Nematodes are another effective option, available from garden centres. They target slugs in the soil without harming other animals and provide around six weeks of protection. Keep soil moist after application for best results.
Plant summer flowering bulbs such as lilies and gladioli this month. Anemone coronaria tubers need particularly well-drained soil, so add grit to the soil when planting to ensure that drainage is sufficient and to avoid waterlogging.
Divide your hostas this month too, before they come into leaf, and also hellebores and polyanthus-type primulas after flowering.

The garden centres will tempt you, but it’s always best to wait until late March (when the risk of frosts is past) before buying the year’s tender plants such as fuchsias and pelargoniums

In the pond
March is the key month for breeding amphibians – always fun to watch for if you have even a small pond. Frogs start breeding first, laying clumps of jelly-like spawn at the pond edge, joined by toads a couple of weeks later. Finally, newts return.Shine a light into the water at night to see males performing a courtship dance to woo females. Female newts will then wrap eggs individually in leaves of marginal plants such as water forget-me-not and Veronica beccabunga (a great name that!).

On February’s allotment

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Editorial team

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8 March 2026

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Barry Cuff takes a look back through his notes on what happened on his Sturminster Newton plot last month

After weeks of rain, the weather turned a little drier around the third week of February, finally allowing some work on the plot, although the soil was still too wet to dig. There were only two slight air frosts which meant that weeds continued to grow, as did the grass paths. Daytime temperature reached 16º on the 16th, and we’ve had red dead nettle, dandelion, speedwell and hairy bittercress all in flower. We spotted a brimstone butterfly on the 25th, and many ladybirds among the weeds and vegetables, as well as three slow worms found in the compost heap.
Plot work: Mulching with manure and compost as land became vacant, and straightened the plot edges (we have more than 400ft of edges!).
Hedges: We have a fairly thick hedge on our northern boundary consisting of hazel, blackthorn, hawthorn, elder, ivy, snowberry and bramble. We have cut it back and burnt the trimmings.
Sowings: In the greenhouse – red cabbage (two varieties), little gem lettuce. In large containers – radish, mixed salad leaves and agricultural peas for seed sprouts.
Planting: On the 23rd, we planted an 18ft double row of broad beans – Witkiem Manita and Masterpiece Green Longpod (these were sown in trays in the greenhouse on 19th January).
We have spare plants to fill any gaps. The leftover seedlings will go to a neighbouring plot-holder.
Mice: We have caught 17 mice in our two greenhouses since the beginning of the year. We do not like killing them, but they can cause so much damage. Was the rain driving them inside?
Seeds: We bought the majority back in November 2025 but we still look out for any bargains or new varieties not stocked by our main supplier (Kings Seeds). We have tested the parsnip already: germination can be poor for parsnip seed, and as they will take up to 50 days to emerge on the plot, we need to test early (result 68 per cent).

Barry and Val are still eating purple sprouting broccoli harvested fresh from the allotment

Potatoes: All chitting well in trays in the garage. We hope to plant the first earlies during the first week of March. For an early meal of new potatoes, we planted two ‘Jazzy’ in a large pot in the greenhouse on the 6th.
Harvesting: From the plot as required – parsnips, carrots, leeks, Brussels sprouts, spring cabbage, sprouting broccoli and salad leaves and roots.
Still using 2025 harvest: From the store we’re still eating our own potatoes, onions, garlic and squash.
And we also have sweetcorn, peas and French beans in the freezer.
Fresh February salads: We are still enjoying freshly harvested ingredients from the plot – spring onion, winter radish, carrot, rocket, spinach beet, sorrel, land cress, radicchio, mizuna, red and golden mustards, plus chicons from store. The mild winter has meant all these have kept producing.
Rent: We have just received our invoice for 2026/27, and it comes to £53.92 + £7 insurance for Val and myself. This works out at 16p/m2 and includes free water and a 40 per cent discount on our Kings Seeds order.
May we have lots of fine days and plenty of sunshine in March!

Time to sow for Dorset chilli challenge

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Editorial team

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8 March 2026

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heat are being encouraged to start sowing now, as the Great Dorset Chilli Festival launches its annual chilli-growing competition.
This year’s variety is Rooster Spur, a small but famously fiery chilli known for its prolific harvest. Dorset seed company Sea Spring Seeds once counted 3,238 chillies from a single Rooster Spur plant (see image).
To achieve ripe fruit in time for summer, organisers say seeds should be sown now, giving plants enough time to grow and produce chillies before judging at the festival in August.

The competition is open to amateur growers, and focuses on the overall quality and appearance of the plant rather than simply the number of chillies produced.
Entries will be judged by commercial seed grower Matt Simpson of Simpson’s Seeds, with winners in each class receiving a £50 voucher from Harts of Stur, the Sturminster Newton-based cookware and gardening retailer.
A limited number of free Rooster Spur seeds are available to anyone keen to take part in the hotly-contested (sorry) compeititon. Growers can request a pack and competition rules by emailing [email protected]
The Great Dorset Chilli Festivalreturns to Stock Gaylard Estate on 1st and 2nd August 2026.

The BV community news section is sponsored by Wessex Internet