Judge Robert Rinder is collecting 52 orphans fleeing war-torn Ukraine

Judge Robert Rinder heads to Poland to collect 52 orphans who have fled war-torn Ukraine and will be rehomed 2,000 miles away in Loch Lomond

  • Best known for reality courtroom series, Rinder is collecting orphans and carers
  • Save a Child charity and Ukrainian Dnipro Kids helped get the kids to Nzin
  • They will travel to Warsaw and then onto Loch Lomond, Scotland to live together
  • The UK Government had stalled on issuing visas to the children aged 6 to 17

Judge Robert Rinder is heading to Poland to collect 52 orphans who have fled war-torn Ukraine and will be rehomed 2,000 miles away in Loch Lomond. 

Best known for his reality courtroom series, Mr Rinder has taken the cause of Ukrainians fleeing the brutal Russian invasion to his heart, saying: ‘Privilege is what you can do to help others’. 

The children, aged from six to 17, were taken by Dnipro Kids, which was established by fans of Hibernian Football Club, from its orphanage in Dnipro to a hotel in Nzin, northern Poland. 

They are then to make their way to the airport where the 52 children will be airlifted to live all-together near Loch Lomond, Scotland. 

The UK Government have stalled on issuing visas for the children – none of whom have passports – and have claimed they wanted more information on safeguarding. But they have since relented and the kids are now due to fly out today with help from charity Save a Child. 

Judge Rinder, 43, who is due to land soon in Warsaw to rescue the kids, has previously gone to the Ukrainian border to bring his Strictly partner Oksana Platero’s grandparents to safety as they join more than 10 million Ukrainians who have fled their country during the crisis. 

The children, aged from six to 17, were taken by Dnipro Kids, which was established by fans of Hibernian Football Club

The children are making a more than two thousand mile journey come from an orphanage in Dnipro, Ukraine to the UK. Mr Rinder is travelling to Warsaw to meet them so the 52 kids can live near Loch Lomond in Scotland 

They are then to make their way to the airport where the 52 kids will be airlifted to live all-together near Loch Lomond, Scotland.

Judge Rinder, 43, pictured flying with Virgin Airways is due to land soon in Warsaw to rescue the kids

Mr Rinder said his role was connecting the ‘amazing charities’ to Virgin Atlantic who provided the plane and Magen David Adom UK, Israel’s only medical emergency and blood service.

He said on Twitter: ‘Privilege is what you can do and who can reach in power to help others.’

An estimated nine adults are also said to be accompanying the children out of Poland.

Hibernian Football Club’s goalkeeper Kevin Dabrowski, speaking to the children said: ‘Scotland is a safe place.’ 

It comes after Westminster leader Ian Blackford raised their plight in the House of Commons on Wednesday, saying then that the Home office was the ‘only obstacle’ to bringing them to the safety of the UK. 

Home Secretary Priti Patel said in a statement: ‘It is deeply troubling that children from the charity Dnipro Kids have been caught up in Putin’s brutal invasion of Ukraine. 

‘I have been working directly with the Ukrainian government and asked for their permission to bring these children to the UK. 

‘I am extremely grateful to the authorities in Ukraine, who have now confirmed to me that the children can come here.

‘We are working urgently with Poland to ensure the children’s swift arrival to the UK.’

The over 500 kids are then to make their way to the airport where the 52 kids will be airlifted to live all-together near Loch Lomond, Scotland. Pictured: One of the children in Znin, Poland

The children were struggling to get to the UK due to the Governments red tape

The children are being housed at a hotel in Nzin, northern Poland, where staff have set up a cinema and play area for them

Media manager for charity Dnipro Kids Appeal, Duncan MacRae, 41, flew out on March 16 to Pozon in Poland.

The children are being housed at a hotel in Nzin, northern Poland, where staff have set up a cinema and play area for them.

Mr Blackford said the children were expected to arrive in Scotland on Monday ‘all things being well’.

More than 100,000 people have opened their homes to Ukrainian refugees.

But those waiting for UK visas are being forced to sleep rough amid anger over red tape delays.

Host families have slammed the ‘nightmarish’ bureaucracy that is said to be prolonging the process for women and children who have fled the conflict.

And volunteers have warned that delays could be putting refugees at risk amid claims of trafficking.

 Once a host family has been found, refugees must complete visa application forms – providing identity documents and answers to detailed questions in English. 

There is then a further wait before the visa is issued, with government information saying the process can take up to six weeks.

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