They were hosted by a person in Hampshire who happened to be a member of the Rotary Club. Through them, Biola got involved with the club and met a local Rotarian who said her family should take a trip to Guernsey. 

“This was felt to be very important, not only for the family but also for those who are full time hosting,” said Rotary International Team Lead, Chris Roberts. 

Express managed to catch up with Biola and her family at Petit Bot, where they had been kayaking with Outdoor Guernsey. 

"[We were invited to Guernsey] and of course, we agreed, because I've never heard about Guernsey at all,” said Biola, who is the only member of the family who speaks fluent English. 

"We came on Sunday and are so impressed with how people here are supportive and kind and generous, and they have organised all of this! Every day, we have something interesting.” 

Pictured: Biola and her husband Ivor. 

Biola and her family fled Ukraine on the 8 March, just over two weeks after Russia invaded the country. The family lived in an apartment in Kyiv and she tells Express that those first few days were terrifying. 

"It was very scary to be there – especially during the first days. It was very unexpected for us. [On the first day] we awake from the explosions and we could see it from our window.  

"We lived on the 22nd floor and we could see it with our own eyes.” 

She said the family didn’t believe it would last that long, so they initially moved out of the city.  

"If someone told me that in some time I could be in another country I wouldn't believe them, because we were supposed to only spend few days [away] and then come back to our place.” 

The family hopped around some more, living with family and distancing themselves from the bombing, but eventually, Biola’s husband made a decision. 

"My husband told me that I had to take girls and keep them in a safe place. He brought us to the northern border and I went with my girls.” 

Ivor spent another 10 months in the country, supporting those impacted by the fighting. 

Pictured: Biola said her family had never gone kayaking before.

The family still has a lot of family in Ukraine, but the war has gone on for so long, Biola is unsure about ever going back. She said her two daughters have only recently been given proper education, as both covid and the war disrupted their school experience. 

“I think only about the future of our kids,” she said.  

"I'm only going back if I can be sure that it's not ever starting again. Because Putin did this before in 2014. It's already happened twice.” 

She said she knows a woman in the Ukrainian community in the UK who has fled Ukraine two times; once because of the invasion into Crimea and now because of the larger scale invasion into the country. 

"It's very difficult to explain to my daughters. I can't believe this can happen in the 21st century." 

Biola and her family will be in Guernsey until the 2 August and in that time take trips to both Herm and Sark (weather permitting). She’ll also be giving several talks to Rotary members and the family will be firing the noon day gun this Friday.