In the Season 9 opener of the 'Meet the Mancunian' podcast, host Deepa Thomas-Sutcliffe highlights award-winning activist Maria Romanenko's journey. Maria was nominated as Volunteer of the Year in the Spirit of Manchester Awards.   Fleeing Ukraine amid war, Maria finds solace and purpose in assisting fellow Ukrainian refugees in Manchester, providing free walking tours among other support initiatives. She addresses the challenges Ukrainian refugees face, the shortcomings of official support systems, and the emotional struggles refugees undergo.   Despite personal challenges, Maria invests thousands of volunteer hours, earning the Prime Minister's Points of Light Award. Her story encourages others to find creative, community-driven solutions and partnerships for social impact.   #volunteering #GM #manchester #community #Ukraine #refugees #SocialImpact #NonProfit   Did you know:  There are over 160,000 Ukraine refugees living in the UK. Many of them are not familiar with English and struggle to find jobs similar to their occupations in Ukraine, in spite of having qualifications and work experience. Key resource: United for Ukraine   Time stamps of key moments in the podcast episode & transcript:   (01:12) Introduction to Maria Romanenko (01:37) Maria's Journey from Kyiv to the UK (02:45) Settling in the UK and Media Attention (03:40) Finding Purpose in Helping Others (06:38) Challenges Faced by Ukrainian Refugees (09:59) Initiating Free Walking Tours (11:31) Expanding the Walking Tours (12:39) Recognition and Awards (14:43) Ongoing Efforts and Future Plans (25:43) Advice and Reflections   Listen to the episode and read the transcript on www.meetthemancunian.co.uk