Ukrainian hairdresser finds a new home in Chesterfield after fleeing war

Following the invasion of Ukraine by Russia in February, stories of people trying to escape the devastation started to appear.

A month after the invasion, the UK government announced the ‘Homes for Ukraine’ scheme, allowing Ukrainian refugees to be homed within the UK with families and individuals who had a spare room to offer.

The scheme proved very popular, with over 25,000 applications within the first two weeks.

One of those looking to find a safe place to live was Katrin.

She was born in Odessa, where she had spent her whole life, and it was one of the first places in Ukraine to be targeted by Russian airstrikes following the invasion.

Katrin graduated from university after studying commercial trading but went to work in a cosmetics shop and studied a makeup artist course. Following this, she found an interest in hairdressing, completed a course and opened her own salon.

Initially she managed to escape the war with her mother.

Katrin said: “My mother and I managed to get out, but my mother went back home because my grandmother is sick and cannot walk and it is very difficult for my aunt to look after her and she came back to help.”

Looking for something more permanent she took to Facebook and posted in a group asking for help to find a home.

She said: “A lot of good English people responded and offered to help me, but there were some who didn’t pass the housing check and I couldn’t come.”

She spoke to a woman who offered to help her to find someone to be a host and was introduced to Staci Brown who lives in Chesterfield.

Katrin said: “She’s a very lovely woman who lives in Chesterfield, she’s a second mother to me here because when I arrived, I didn’t know anyone.”

Arriving in Chesterfield, Katrin was keen to get to work and showcase her hairdressing skills.

Staci introduced her to Jimmy who owns Carlton’s Hair Salon on Glumangate.

Katrin said: “I came to the salon and showed that I have a great experience in colouring and cutting hair, I have about 10 different certificates in Ukraine alone on the completion of various hair courses.”

Katrin (or Kate) specialises in complex colours and women’s haircuts, as well as offering a number of treatments, such as keratin hair straightening, and hair nanoplasty procedures.

She also spends time at college studying English.

“I don’t speak English, but when I arrived, I went to college in Chesterfield and met other Ukrainians. I like going to college and I like working in a team with English-speaking people. Because they are very kind and always smile and help with everything,” she added.