Mansfield veteran offers spare rooms as new Homes for Ukraine scheme launched

Tim Merry spent 13 years in the 1st Battalion Royal Green Jackets, which included a tour of Bosnia in the nineties, and has seen for himself how war can impact innocent civilians.

The 48-year-old says he is happy to open up his home to refugees, and hopes others do the same as part of the new government scheme which launched for applications this week.

The Homes for Ukraine scheme will enable individuals, charities, community groups and businesses to volunteer accommodation and provide a route to safety for Ukrainians, and their immediate family members, forced to escape their homeland.

Tim, who completed his application this week, said: “I have been to a war zone, I have seen the devastation first hand, so I had no hesitation in applying for the scheme.

“It was a pretty straight forward process, I had to answer a few basic questions about the rooms I had available, and now it’s a waiting game for them to process my application and to hopefully match me with someone as a sponsor.”

Tim lives alone and has offered use of his spare rooms at his Pleasley property, and says he hopes that others in a similar situation offer the same.

"I have had a few flippant comments from people on social media when they have heard that I have offered my house up, but it doesn’t particularly bother me,” he continued

"If I can offer someone a helping hand, then I’m going to do it – I have the room, I pay the mortgage myself, so why not?

"People have said ‘aren’t you worried about leaving them alone in your house?’ – of course I’m not.

"These people have nothing, and will be so grateful for the help.”

The scheme will open on Friday March 18 for visa applications from Ukrainians and immediate family members who already have named people willing to sponsor them.

People wanting to be sponsors who do not know anyone personally fleeing Ukraine can also record their interest in being a sponsor by visiting the government website here.

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