Vet student Thomas Westley receives the Fostering Compassion bursary
A Ukrainian refugee who is studying to become a vet at the University of Central Lancashire is the recipient of a special bursary.
Thomas Westley, who had to flee his homeland after the Russian invasion, has been awarded the Fostering Compassion bursary.
The 21-year-old, whose grandparents were killed during the initial invasion, arrived in Manchester with no money and only a backpack containing his remaining possessions. He also didn’t speak English.
Thomas, who will receive £1,000, said: “I’m absolutely delighted to receive the Fostering Compassion bursary. To have been chosen as the recipient of this award, from such a lovely charity, is a real honour for me.”
Thomas, who has just completed the first year of his five-year veterinary medicine and surgery degree course at the University’s Preston Campus, has always dreamed of becoming a vet.
He was brought up surrounded by animals as his mother opened an animal sanctuary in the small town of Zolotonosha and it was home to more than 20 different species.
"To have been chosen as the recipient of this award, from such a lovely charity, is a real honour for me"
— Ukrainian refugee and vet student Thomas Westley
Aged 16, he got priceless work experience via a vet practice. He volunteered with the American Peace Corps where he helped disabled children and HIV positive patients have contact with animals.
Unfortunately, a family incident led him to move to live with his grandparents.
He said: “I was highly academic at school and my grandparents pressured me into enrolling for a degree in medicine because veterinary medicine is not held to the same regard in Ukraine.
“I started at Vinnytsia Medical School in 2020 but during my second year, my life got really bad as Russia invaded Ukraine. My grandparents, who had taken control of our sanctuary, died during the initial invasion. I returned home to bury them and re-home the animals, including my beloved cat, Bonya.
“Fearing for my life I had to escape Ukraine and I was granted access to the UK under The Homes for Ukraine Scheme. I was taken in by some wonderful sponsors in Manchester, who helped me through my toughest time.
“I felt broken as I’d lost everything but I heard about a veterinary access course at Manchester College and that was a life changing moment. I knew this was my chance so I thankfully got on to the course and worked alongside my studies as a cleaner.”
"We hope we will play a small part in helping him forge a career in the veterinary profession and as he gradually begins to rebuild his life"
— Lesley Winton BEM, Founder of Fostering Compassion
Thomas then discovered the University of Central Lancashire was opening a School of Veterinary Medicine.
He added: “I was thrilled to get an interview at the University and then absolutely delighted to get a place on the first year of the degree course. It has been a financially challenging year so this bursary is a huge help for me.”
Lesley Winton BEM, Founder of Fostering Compassion, said: “We are absolutely delighted to support Thomas in his career with our inaugural bursary.
“At Fostering Compassion, we teach children the importance of caring, compassionate and nurturing behaviour towards animals - our ‘Be A Vet for the Day’ workshop being our most popular! Equally, we work to support and care for animals who are suffering or in distress, through our ‘Gifts of Compassion’ created by the children during our workshops and donated to animals in need.
“We hope through our programme we will be nurturing some of the vets of the future and through our bursary we aim to support vulnerable individuals currently studying to be vets.
“To support Thomas is a great honour for us, especially given the dreadful amount of trauma and loss he has suffered. We hope we will play a small part in helping him forge a career in the veterinary profession and as he gradually begins to rebuild his life.”