A Ukrainian girl who has settled in Hampstead after escaping the war-stricken Kyiv is set to be star-struck this Christmas.
Harry Potter fanatic Ruslana, 10, came into the UK wearing a Gryffindor scarf with her mother and grandmother in May this year.
The family were taken into a Hampstead home for six months before relocating to another home within the same area.
They were among the first Ukrainian families who fled to the UK after the conflict with Russia broke out, but Ruslana had to leave behind her father and her pets named after Harry Potter characters Ron and Harry.
Rachel Heath, who has been sponsoring and supporting the family ever since their arrival, wished to make Ruslana’s Christmas a magical one by making her meet actor Rupert Grint - who played Ronald Weasley - in the Highgate Christmas lights switch-on event taking place on Wednesday (November 23).
After a successful campaign by Ms Heath, the Ham & High and Highgate Society, the girl will get to meet her hero.
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Olga, Ruslana’s mother, said: “She’s seen the movies many, many times and has read four of the books, I think. From the beginning of the war, all the time she was in a Harry Potter scarf.
“For my mum she was in shock of going to the UK, to an unknown country.
“My daughter was more flexible with this, she missed Ukraine very much but she was very excited of everything new and that she’s in a Harry Potter country.”
Despite Ruslana’s difficult journey, she has remained hard working as she balances both the British education curriculum and continues to study the Ukrainian curriculum through remote learning.
The mother said: “Sometimes it’s really difficult for her, but it was her decision to not leave Ukrainian school because she will return to that world.”
Ruslana has been feeling homesick as she misses her friends abroad and constantly talks to her dad who is stuck in the country. During her time in London she “always shares with him what’s happening”.
For Olga the stark reality of escaping the war is more difficult for her.
She said: “My morning starts with checking news about how the night passed in Ukraine - if there were no new missiles, drone attacks.
“I check if the news was bad or if there’s a new mass attack. I am texting, calling to the family, friends, and colleagues asking them if they are ok. Almost all of the day [I am] monitoring the news from Ukraine.”
The mum said she feels blessed to live in London during this time, as Ruslana’s teacher usually explains “the sad reality” that her classmates are in a bomb shelter while having their classes.
Olga continued: “The people in Ukraine live in a permanent tension all these months, with a fear for their lives, children and dearest people. With no electricity, heating, water, gas – but with a strong belief in our victory.”
To her, it was hard to get used to a “peaceful life” in the UK, but Olga is thankful for her hosts Bea and Ms Heath for their support – particularly with arranging Ruslana’s chance of a lifetime to meet the Harry Potter star.
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