A Broughty Ferry group threw a party to help refugees get to know their new local community.
Around 100 people, including refugees from Ukraine, Syria and Afghanistan, attended the event at Barnhill St Margaret’s Church Hall.
Plenty of food was on offer, as well as games for the kids.
With Refugees Broughty Ferry planned the party to help newcomers integrate into the community.
‘I heard the first bombs’
Hayder Mandelawi, a 32-year-old dentist from Ukraine, was among the new Scots enjoying the festivities on Saturday.
He arrived in the UK in March with his wife and three children after Russia invaded his home country.
The family were still in Kyiv when the air strikes began.
He said: “I heard the first bombs. No one believed that would happen.
“We read the news, but we didn’t think it would really happen.
“Then they started the air strike on the airport, so people had no way to go anywhere.
“Everyone was in shock.”
Hayder was among 12 people packed into one car trying to escape the air strikes, alongside his wife Vira and their three young children, Sofia, Nadia and Yusif.
“It was very sad,” he said.
“We didn’t know what was happening behind us, it was like judgement day.
“We thought everything was finished.”
The family escaped the war-torn city to stay with family in Ternopil in the west of Ukraine.
One night Hayder was even held at gunpoint by Ukrainian soldiers after returning home late and unknowingly breaking the 7pm curfew.
However, he had identification documents from his job and made it past the checkpoints.
The family eventually escaped to Slovakia after queuing for three days in their car at the border.
They flew to the UK via Ireland to stay with Hayder’s sister in Dundee through the Ukraine Family Scheme.
Hayder said: “I am in paradise here.
“I can take good care of my family and it is the best for me now to be away from the situation (in Ukraine).
“No one deserves to see such situations. I check the news, but it makes you very sad.”
Mohammad Bay arrived in Dundee in 2017 after fleeing war-torn Syria with his wife and children.
They managed to escape to Lebanon – but only after surviving missile strikes and regular shelling.
The 38-year-old now works as a bus driver for Xplore Dundee, having previously worked as an accountant in his homeland.
He also helped to cook up a large spread of food at the party.
He said: “I joined this group as a volunteer after having conversations with others at similar events to learn English.
“Now I help with the events: what I can do, I do.
“Especially after Covid, we encourage people to come and meet people for communication, learning English and learning culture.
“It’s really good for making a normal life again. Everyone seems happy.”
Wafaa Alkwifi, from Syria, arrived in the UK via the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in 2017 after living in Egypt for seven years.
Her husband Abdul was an established chef in their home country and he now works at the Malmaison in Dundee.
Wafaa said: “Last year I started college for one year and I’m now going to work in a hospital to help elderly people – I love to help people.
“I absolutely hope to stay in Scotland and in Dundee. The people here are very nice and friendly.
“It’s good for my kids to be here, and I have friends and people who help me if I need it.
“My English is not so good, but many people here understand me.”
The group hope to hold similar events in the future.
Graham McKee, from With Refugees Broughty Ferry, said: “We volunteer to help refugees in various ways, including helping people new to Scotland meet local people in a social environment.
“We want to help people with integration and help them make new friends.”
