One of the rules is we don't talk about parts of the past that might be painful

WHEN Gary Lineker revealed that he would be opening his home to Ukrainian refugees, he inspired one retired mum of three from South Manchester to do the same.

- By RAMAZANI MWAMBA

The woman in question is Kathryn Fletcher, 63, who has offered a sanctuary for those fleeing conflict and hardship since 2021.

"It was an article I read about Gary Lineker which gave me the idea," said Kathryn. "I'm not a particularly big fan of Gary Lineker but I think he's been pretty powerful and the stuff he's said has made him a force for good."

A retired GP, Kathryn opened her home to those who needed shelter after her three sons had moved out and she thought it would be a 'good use of space, with her and her husband, Grahame Buss, not quite ready to downsize.

Since then, she has been a lighthouse for around ten people, a mixture of young men and women from north Africa and the Middle East who affectionately refer to her as their 'British mum' "One of the rules is we don't talk about things in the past that might be painful, unless they want to talk about it," she told the M.E.N..

"So, we've had lovely conversations about football, cricket and I know lots about mixed martial arts because we've e had two people who want to compete - and train.

"They're very different people somer times; street homeless because they've 1 recently received asylum and haven't d been able to find accommodation, t sometimes they're young professionals who are moving cities for a new job and y don't have anywhere to live.

"They vary enormously and they 1 vary with the resources they come with.