People taking part in the Homes for Ukraine scheme say the "do-it-yourself" nature of the project has left them feeling helpless.

When David Steward's flat in Folkestone became empty, he felt compelled to offer it to a Ukrainian family, rather than putting it back on the rental market.

However, the father-of-one, from Upchurch, near Sittingbourne, says delays in processing a family-of-three he has been in touch with have been frustrating having turned to social media to find a family himself.

Having got in touch with a mother and her two daughters, aged 20 and 13, David and his family are now waiting for the documentation to be approved.

The trio are currently living with their father – who cannot join them when they move to England – in Chernivtsi near the country's borders with Moldova and Romania.

The 56-year-old said: "We completed the form. I completed my end of it, and then forwarded a link so the girl in Ukraine, who luckily speaks good English and is switched on, completed her section of it, because it's a lot of questions and it's only in English.

"I did a Zoom call after a back and forth on instant messenger, and it was both humbling and uplifting at the same time because there's the family, and the dad was there as well and he was very concerned about where his family were going, not surprisingly.

"Then we're chatting, but it had to end because the air raid sirens started.

"They all want to work, that's almost the first question they ask.

"They are getting very nervous because it's been over a week since we completed the forms. We've not had a single response to even say they are being looked at.

"The helpline is hopeless. Every time you speak to them you get a different answer.

"The best resource on how to complete the forms is from these people who have already successfully negotiated it."

Mr Steward says although he "couldn't not help", he's got so frustrated he has written to his MP Gordon Henderson and "told him what I thought".

He added although he will miss out earning as much in rent for his property, he is "quite happy to help someone flee things that I hopefully will never have to experience".

There have been 27 families in Medway signing up to the government's scheme, the council confirmed.

Annie Makoff-Clark, who lives in Rochester, says she was inspired to take part in the scheme because her Jewish grandfather was able to flee Germany during the Second World War thanks to a similar scheme after his parents were killed by the Nazis.

The 38-year-old mother-of-one said: "I come from a family of Jewish refugees and I often think if it wasn't for the kindness of people in the UK in the 1940s, he wouldn't have escaped.

"I just have that in the back of my mind that this just feels really important to do."

She has a spare bedroom to offer and is currently in talks with a 23-year-old woman who is in Kyiv, the country's capital.

'Suddenly it's there in my front room then – this is not just some abstract thing happening on the news now...'

Annie said while it was "heart-warming" to see people offering up their homes to refugees, she didn't like the way those in need had to fight for a place.

She has taken to Facebook groups to help find people trying to get out but says she is wary about how people were vetted and making sure there were not people who were taking advantage of the scheme.

She said: "Charities are absolutely inundated and they haven't been consulted by the government, I don't believe, so they haven't got the resources at the moment. So it's very much do it yourself.

"It just feels a bit like a bidding war and to me, it doesn't feel right that we should have to do this.

"Because you're very much on your own and it's such a big thing, it's really important to make sure that you're going to gel and that you will get on, but also that as a host and you're able to give them what they need.

"We're in the very beginning stages of getting to know each other, but at the same time, at the forefront of my mind is we can't spend too long doing this because she's in tears.

"She said five to seven times a day, there's air raid sirens and bombings and so this isn't something that we can take a lot of time over.

"The process has to be quick because you want to be able to get them out and get them to safety."

The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities – which is running the Homes for Ukraine scheme – said people need to sponsor a named individual, and that those without one can make use of charities or social media.

A spokesman added: "We know charities, faith groups, universities, businesses and industry representative bodies will have extensive networks with communities and individuals across Europe.

"We will be working closely with all of them to ensure people who want to help are matched to people from Ukraine"

Local authorities like Medway and Kent's district and boroughs will receive funding to support people arriving in the UK for safeguarding checks, translations, health services and education but it is not yet known how many will arrive.

Medway Council leader Cllr Alan Jarrett (Con) said plans are being put in place, adding: “We are deeply appalled and saddened by the tragic events that have been unfolding in Ukraine and, like many other local authorities, we stand ready to welcome and provide a haven for those fleeing the conflict in their country."

“We want to ensure that Ukrainian nationals arriving in Medway receive the best possible support and welcome to Medway."

“It has been heart-warming to see Medway’s response to the Ukrainian crisis."

Anyone unable to offer accommodation but wants to help can donate to the Red Cross Ukraine Crisis Appeal or the UN’s Ukraine Humanitarian Fund

More information can be found from the scheme's Frequently Asked Questions page bit.ly/3JMKYZj