A Barnes mum wants to give up her four-year-old daughter’s room so she can host a Ukrainian family.
Bridget Schmidt, 44, is looking at living out of one room with her husband and two children to provide a safe home for refugees fleeing Russian violence.
Her four-year-old daughter Eloise is on board and has even donated her Barbies and her favourite teddy bear to Ukrainian children.
Bridget said: “My husband was reading about [taking in Ukrainian refugees]. We just had a talk about it last night.
“What I am thinking is that a mum and one or two kids could have my daughter’s room. If their kids need a separate room they could have the playroom.”
Bridget has also been struggling to explain the horrors of the Russian invasion to her young daughter.
The Hungarian native added: “When it started we told her there are Russian soldiers knocking on people’s doors. This was the only way I could explain it to her.
“She has given her toys to the Ukrainian children. I was really shocked. She usually sleeps in our bedroom. She doesn’t really use [her bedroom].”
The parent’s bedroom is currently shared by Bridget, her husband, Didier Ramgoolam, and their 18-month-old son Eliott.
But since Eloise spends most of her nights sleeping with mum and dad anyway Bridget thinks she will hardly notice.
On top of looking to share her home with a Ukrainian family, Bridget has also been collecting baby slings to send to the Ukraine – Hungary border.
She explained a group of London mums have been flying 2,000-mile round trips to Eastern Europe three or four times a week to try and hand out baby slings so refugees can safely carry their luggage and look after their babies.
Bridget added: “I was really surprised by the [the Russian invasion of Ukraine] and wondered how I can help.
“Mothers running away cannot carry their kids.Some of them only have flip flops on.”
The group of mums have already received donations of up to £1,000 and between them, they are flying three or four times a week with suitcases full of up to 20 baby slings.
Bridget is now hoping to head to Budapest in April to help refugees on train platforms, if her help is still needed then.
The British government is currently offering £350 a month to Britons who can put up refugees fleeing Ukraine.
The government hopes tens of thousands of people could come to the UK under the new scheme.
Bridget urged anyone who wants to donate baby slings to Ukraine to contact her on sbridget87@gmail.com.
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