Eurovision: Ukrainian refugee to run guided tours of Liverpool

A Ukrainian woman who came to the UK as a refugee said she hoped her guided tours of Liverpool during Eurovision will help people "de-stress".

Maria Romanenko, 30, who is a journalist, fled Kyiv with her British partner Jez Myers at the start of the Russian invasion last year.

Since arriving in the UK she used her fluency in English to help other Ukrainians settle in the UK.

She now plans to run free Ukrainian language cultural tours of Liverpool.

"It's important to keep cultural events going because it brings some normality to people's lives," she said.

"It allows people to de-stress just a little bit."

Liverpool is hosting the event on behalf of Ukraine who won last year's contest.

Ms Romanenko had studied A-levels in Oxfordshire and for a degree in Leeds before returning to Ukraine, where she worked as a journalist for six years.

When Russia attacked in February 2022 she made a perilous 40 hour journey to the Polish border with Mr Myers, where they had to wait four days before receiving confirmation Ms Romanenko, was able come to the UK.

Since arriving in Mr Myers' home town of Manchester in March, Ms Romanenko has helped fellow Ukrainians access housing and healthcare through work as an interpreter.

She has also run a series of walking tours in Manchester for Ukrainian people.

"I have my partner here as well as my best friend from university, so I have most things that a person would need to feel at home," she said.

"But there are lots of Ukrainians who came here with none of these things and on top of that, they don't speak very much English.

"So one of the first things I came up with to help was to do walking tours."

With thousands of Ukrainian's expected to be coming to Liverpool for the Eurovision Song Contest, Ms Romanenko, who covered the event as a reporter in Kyiv in 2017, said the song contest is "a massive deal" for Ukrainians.

"I'm a Eurovision fan but so is everyone in Ukraine," she said.

"It's a massive deal, it's like the Super Bowl but for music. Soldiers will be watching it like they did last year, people will find a way to tune in even if there is a power cut.

"Eurovision will allow the country to unite and cheer for Ukraine."

Ms Romanenko's tours will run on 7, 10 and 12 May in association with KR Spanish and English Tours Liverpool and will cover some of Liverpool's biggest landmarks including The Three Graces, The Beatles and the city's World War Two history.