A REFUGEE from Ukraine is walking from Swindon's town centre to Scotland's tallest mountain to help others who have fled her war-torn homeland.

Sofiia Volovyk will begin the 589-mile journey from the Pattern Church this morning, on Ukraine's national independence day, and aims to raise £100,000.

Half of the funds will help Ukrainians which have arrived in the UK and the other half will support Rescue Now, which provides evacuation and humanitarian aid to those in Ukraine.

The 22-year-old had to flee Kyiv in March, two weeks after war broke out, then travelled more than 3,000 miles through five countries - Poland, Germany, Belgium, Ireland and the UK.

She said: “We travelled on so many buses and trains and received amazing gifts of shelter from families along the way.

"After seven weeks of travelling, we finally arrived in London and travelled to Swindon to our new host that we found through the Homes for Ukraine Scheme.

“Some people just didn’t want to leave their country and I understand that feeling. I have been so welcomed by the people of the UK, and so I am dedicating this walk to help those we left behind, and also those that have landed and settled here.

"It is my dream to build a positive Ukrainian community here in the UK and help rebuild the one back home too.”

With the help of other hosts and newly-arrived Ukrainians, Sofiia created the Swindon Welcomes Ukraine committee to help support and integrate the refugees into the town's community.

The committee’s main work has been securing extra English classes, fixing more than 100 free bikes, helping Ukrainians find work locally, and bringing the community together for arts and music events.

Sofiia will be joined on her 25-day journey by 65-year-old Borys Livshyts, an ultra-distance walker, who she met at an organised hiking event two years ago in Kyiv.

During the long walk to Ben Nevis, Sofiia hopes to meet up with other Ukrainian community groups which have been created since the Homes for Ukraine scheme began.

She added: “This journey, other than fundraising, is deeply routed in my personal values of freedom and independence, ingrained in me from a young age.

"Ukraine, as a nation, had to fight for its independence many years ago and now our fight for freedom from oppression has never been greater.

"Ukrainians have become modern-day pilgrims and so my challenge represents our collective journey to safety.”

Donate at www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/sofiia-volovyk