Page 30 - ELG2309 Sep Issue 486

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FEATURE

Accidental Immigrants:

Ukrainians in London

In 2022, British teacher, Peter Hill, found himself in a strange place in his
career. A year on from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Peter gives his unique
perspective on the plight of Ukrainian refugees forcibly displaced by war.

I donated by the public and loaded them onto to test potential students. Naturally, they
Sundays then became an opportunity
thought that COVID would end my
teaching career.
lorries. It was a hectic situation and very
Before it struck, I had been working
tiring, but the generosity of the people of
responded to the idea of free English
on pre-sessional courses at Greenwich
University, but more and more work had to the area was immense, and the hard work classes, although we were not sure what
we could offer. Suddenly, I was confronted
of the volunteers truly moving. I learnt that
be done via computers, which I found very voluntary work can be good for you, especially with people who had come from Ukraine,
stressful. Colleagues were not unhelpful, if you believe in the cause. I could observe a although they were not all Ukrainian. So,
but they did not seem to realize how far wide range of locals pulling together; I saw who were they?
behind I had fallen. people at their best. Very few were men, because those between
As the pandemic began its retreat, the The restaurant closed for business and the ages of 18 and 60 could not leave, unless
only prospects for EFL work involved working became a social centre for Ukrainians, more they had a medical exemption. However,
online. Many institutions in the UK went of whom were arriving in London by the day. some had been outside the country at the
under while others adapted. I did nothing. On Sundays, Ukrainians already in London time of the Russian invasion, while others
Or, perhaps, I could say I watched and waited. tried to entertain and advise new arrivals. held non-Ukrainian passports.
Then the opportunity arose to return to the Inevitably there was confusion; after all, Women were between the ages of 14 and
basics; to teach in whatever accommodation people were in a state of shock. One day, 80. Adult women had children, but none had
was available, with just a whiteboard and a couple from the charity, Multicultural more than two. Older women tended to speak
handouts. Richmond, turned up to talk to one of the no English, while others had learnt English,
My EFL career – if I can call it that – had Ukrainian organizers with a fairly vague but decades ago. Some were highly educated,
started in 1966 when I was 19 and taught on proposal regarding English classes. Local but in French or German. Almost all had
the Finnish Family Scheme after my first year further education and adult education come via Poland and had been in London a
at university. In 2022, it was revived. colleges had been slow to respond, and a very matter of days.
March of that year, I did voluntary work limited amount of money might be available. In May I started a class in the basement of
at a Ukrainian restaurant in Twickenham. I got involved in the discussion and offered the restaurant for two hours every Sunday.
Alongside many others, I sorted out items to help. It began as a very mixed-ability class, and
30 September 2023