Student flees Ukraine war

A former West Buckland School student is among the millions who have fled the war in Ukraine. Mary Lydon now hopes to return to the UK after running from her home in Kyiv with only a rucksack of clothes, after the city first came under attack by Russians on February 24th.

“We are all so relieved to hear that Mary is safe and well and we pray for her family still in Ukraine,” said a spokesman for the North Devon school. “Many of you will have visited the school and seen Mary’s exquisite paintings, a fantastic legacy from an extremely talented young lady. We’re very proud of her and how she’s coped in such difficult circumstances.”

The 22 year-old left everything behind before embarking on a gruelling three-day journey to Krakow in Poland. She had been studying at Glasgow School of Art, but was forced to return to her native Ukraine when she could no longer afford the tuition fees when worked dried up due to the Covid pandemic.

Photo courtesy Mary Lydon

Mary told Scotland’s Daily Record that her family were terrified when the air raid sirens first sounded, “We were very stressed. We didn’t feel we would be safe in our apartment on the ninth floor, so we started our journey to leave.”

“At the train station, because my brother is underage and I was a girl, we managed to take the train to Poland, but we had to leave my dad and my partner behind.”

“That was the most horrific moment. Just to see them staying at the station as the train starts moving - and no one knows when I am going to see them again. I was just in tears,” added Mary.

Mary’s father and partner are now volunteering in the capital city to help those affected by the war, while her mum stayed behind to work in a hospital in Kyiv.

Meanwhile, Mary has been doing everything to help from a distance - but says has been forced to rebuild her life from scratch.

She said the Polish people have been very welcoming, but she doesn’t know where to turn to next.

Her friend Fleur Connor has set up an online appeal which has so far raised £2,000, in the hope that Mary can find a home back in the UK with her younger brother.

North Devon Council has set up a web page in support of Ukrainian refugees: northdevon.gov.uk/support-for-ukrainianrefugees