After leaving her home in Bucha six months ago, Mila Udod is now providing customer support for ticket software company TygTickets after settling in Cumbria.

The 29-year-old fled the Kyiv region with her husband and 10-year-old son after a host family in the north-west offered their home.

"I had a few jobs in Ukraine including working as an English teacher and working for an American company on transportation and logistics, so it was easier for me as I spoke the language," Udod said.

"My husband found things more difficult, but he is learning English and has found work on a farm, and we are happy we have an opportunity to live a safe life here."

In Ukraine, Udod worked for flight ticketing company, which she said made the transition to TygTickets "easier".

"It is a friendly, small office and it is satisfying to help customers when they have a query about the way the system works," she continued. 

"Our family members and most of our friends are still in Ukraine, and things are not good there at all. The children don’t have the opportunity to go to schools and universities because of the rockets flying over their heads.

"At the moment, people don’t have electricity most of the day, which affects heating. They have difficulty with water supplies and many people lost their jobs with the beginning of the war."

Udod said her and her family "made the right decision to leave", as her son can now safely attend school and a local boxing club. 

"Our family feel safe here, thanks to the huge support of the UK and the kindness of the British people," she said.

Speaking to TTG, Maureen Huck, operations manager at TygTickets, said: "Mila has fitted seamlessly into the team, although we are all aware of the difficulties her family have faced at home.

"She is a huge asset to the business and popular with our customers. Mila is such a lovely lady, someone told us about her and she came onboard and picked things up so quickly.

"We have no concept of what Ukrainian families and people have had to go through, and are still going through. As human beings, everyone naturally can get a bit grumpy sometimes, but Mila doesn’t. She has such a fresh outlook on life.

"We encourage other hospitality and tourism businesses to do what they can for Ukrainian people, who just want to have a safe life here until peace returns to their homeland once again."