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Rushden, Rushden Chichele and Thrapston & Raunds Rotary Club all chipped in

A Ukrainian pensioner who fled the bombing of her homeland has been gifted a new lease of life thanks to kind-hearted Rotary Club members.

Olga Tatarenko escaped the eastern Ukrainian region of Kharkiv before it was attacked by Russian missiles.

In March it took Olga took three days, including a 28-hour train journey and two flights, to join daughter Iuliia and her family in Rushden.

L-r Maia Chiritoi, 10, Bob Davey (president Thrapston& Raunds Rotary Club), Olga Tatarenko, Iuliia Chiritoi (daughter), Arthur Hollomon (Rushden Chichele Rotary Club), John Curson (president Rotary Club of Rushden), David Kendrick (district governor elect Rotary).

Since arriving the retired accountant has found walking around increasingly difficult, leading to three Northamptonshire Rotary Clubs stepping in to gift her a mobility scooter.

David Kendrick, Rushden Chichele member and district governor elect for Rotary Club, said: “We are very pleased to have presented the scooter.

"We hope when she is shopping around the town she can enjoy it. It’s not home, but it’s home for now.”

Three Rotary Clubs – Rushden, Rushden Chichele and Thrapston & Raunds, clubbed together to fund the mobility scooter for Olga, who needs a hip replacement.

L-r Olga Tatarenko, with Bob Davey (president Thrapston& Raunds Rotary Club), Arthur Hollomon (Rushden Chichele Rotary Club), John Curson (president Rotary Club of Rushden), David Kendrick (district governor elect Rotary).

The mobility scooter will allow Olga to ‘walk’ her 10-year-old granddaughter Maia to school, visit the park and go to the shops.

She said: “I’m very grateful to everyone who put all the donations together and very grateful for this great gift.

”What I’m looking forward to most is taking Maia to school.”

Olga, 72, now lives with daughter Iuliia Chiritoi in Rushden.

Iuliia said: “The Kharkiv region has been under missile attack since the beginning of the war and my mum's house was one of many that were damaged. Fortunately, she was here in the UK when that happened so her life was spared, not like her three neighbours.

“Mum is a loving and caring person who loves spending time with her grandchildren so my family is happy that she is in a safe place now. Unfortunately, she had to leave her son and partner behind in Ukraine as they are unable to leave the country.”

Rotary Clubs in the Anglia region have raised more than £150,000 in support of the people of Ukraine.

The mobility scooter was provided by CareCo who generously waived the assembly and instruction fees.

Rushden and Thrapston Rotary Clubs gift mobility scooter to disabled Ukrainian refugee gran