Ukrainian refugee gains uni place- THREE months after fleeing

Earlier this year, 18-year-old Ella Bodnar and her immediate family packed their belongings and came to the UK, not knowing when - or if - she might return home.

Among her luggage was a sketchbook and the imaginative drawings she has created since arriving in the UK have helped earn her a place at university.

Arriving on campus at the weekend, Ella said: “I’m so happy to be here. 

“I’m really excited to start. The facilities at the university are fantastic.”

Ella Bodnar with mum Yana and brother Oleksii. Credit: Russ McAnulla (Image: Google)

Ella, who is aiming for a career designing computer games, arranged for herself, her mum Yana, who is a cardiologist, and her 10-year-old brother, Oleksii, to come to the UK via the Homes for Ukraine scheme.

The family arrived in July and have been living in Bratton, Wiltshire, with Russ McAnulla, a retired environmental engineer, and his artist wife, Kathy.

Ella’s boyfriend, Oleksandr, 25, a mechanical engineer, also came with them and is hoping to get a job in Bradford so he can be near her. 

Ella’s father, Viktor, a gynaecologist, stayed in Ukraine to help with the war effort, and her grandparents remained in the family’s home in Pokrovsk, in the eastern Donetsk region of the country, which has suffered shelling in recent weeks. 

Ella said: “It was very hard to leave but we knew, from the start of the invasion, that we had to get out.

“It took two days to drive across the country to Lviv. It was very scary as it’s very dangerous now. We were there for a few weeks to sort out our visas, then we got a bus to Poland, where we boarded a flight to London on July 15.

“My grandparents won’t leave. They say it’s not dangerous in our town, but that’s not true. At least they have a car so we hope they can get out if they need to. We are so worried about them and my father. I speak to my dad every day.”

(Left to right) Andrew Gray, Outreach and Recruitment Officer, University of Bradford, Russ McAnulla, Ella Bodnar, Nigel Futter, Outreach and Recruitment Officer, University of Bradford and Dr Robert Redman, Assistant Professor in Creative Technology. Credit: University of Bradford (Image: Google)

Russ and Kathy have formed a lovely bond with the family and were so impressed with Ella’s sketches, they set about getting her a place on the BA Graphics for Games degree, one of only a handful of its kind in the country. 

He said: “I’m a big believer that young people should be independent and when we saw Ella’s drawings, we were so bowled over, we knew we had to help get her onto the best possible course.

“From the minute I contacted the University of Bradford, everyone has been so helpful. They have pulled out all the stops to get her here.”

The talented artist had completed a year studying computer modelling, programming and animation at a university in Ukraine before the invasion broke out in February and she intends to carry on with her studies online, meaning she will be working towards two degrees simultaneously.

She is looking forward to joining the equestrian society at the University of Bradford, having found love of horse riding while living in Wiltshire. 

She added: “I learned my English at school and university but that’s quite different to being in the UK and speaking it outside of the classroom. 

“For me, it’s not just a new university, but a new country and a new language too.

“I always dreamed of coming to the UK. Of course, I didn’t imagine it would be for this reason.”

An example of one of Ella's sketches. Credit: Ella Bodnar (Image: Google)

Nigel Futter, Outreach and Recruitment Officer at the University of Bradford, said: “It’s been a very steep learning curve but once we got everything up and running, it all happened very quickly.

“We managed to go back to Ella with an offer of a place within 48 hours of that initial call. 

“We’re absolutely thrilled to be able to help.” 

Robert Redman, programme lead for BA Graphics for Games, said: “The fact Ella has managed to escape a war-torn country and wants to study with us is really humbling.

“Her drawings are fantastic and we are delighted she is joining us. Ella will be a great asset to the course and I can’t wait to see what she comes up with.”