Ukrainian refugees in Blackburn with Darwen and local organisations gathered to celebrate the Orthodox Christmas.
Yesterday (January 7) was the first time Ukrainians celebrated Christmas since the war broke out and The Bureau Centre of Arts hosted a party to mark the special day.
The party also marks the beginning of a six-month integration project, commissioned by BwDBC Social Integration team, to support new arrivals from Ukraine settle comfortably into the community.
The celebrants at The Bureau were among the 115,000 Ukrainians who have settled in the UK under the Homes for Ukraine scheme, and many shared their gratitude for being able to celebrate Christmas with their new friends and families.
One of the 130 partygoers, Antonina (Tonya) Yarova, thanked her host Anne Rigby for the warm welcome and kindness she received since arriving in Darwen last June.
Tonya said: “I am very lucky. It does not always happen in life where you meet people with similar interest and common views in life.
“I am very grateful for English people; we are brilliantly received here and today has been great.”
Echoing the same sentiment, Anne said: “Tonya and I get on so well, she’s like a sister to me. She has certainly impacted my life for the better and I hope I have helped her too.
“When you see people who need help, you step up don’t you. And so many people here have.”
One father from Ukraine, Oleg Haliuk moved to Blackburn with his five children four months ago. Sharing how happy he was to be celebrating Christmas with others, he said: “It’s super great. I am having a good time and I am thankful for the nice people here.”
Kerris Casey-St Pierre, project and engagements facilitator at The Bureau said: “Seeing this many of the Ukrainian refugees coming to something is brilliant because starting a project and not knowing any of those people can always be difficult.”
The Bureau is collaborating with Lancashire Wildlife Trust Witton Greenhouse Project, Arts2Heal, and Beggars Belief Collective on the integration project.
Kerris added: “We’re hoping people will turn up so we can help them integrate into the community and just have a bit of fun. This launch has been massively successful in terms of the engagement as well being successful in terms of our volunteers and supporters coming to welcome people.
“Everyone’s joined up and connected and it’s been a lovely event.”
A high-risk security advisor who escorted a production team on a documentary called Children of Ukraine was also in attendance to show his support. After filming finished, Steven Holland went back to Ukraine, 14 kilometres from the Russian border, to deliver humanitarian aid to children and families.
Speaking on the experience, Steven said: “It’s harrowing. I had a young boy, similar age to my own son, cry on my shoulder because he thought no one cared about them. But we do care, all these people donating and volunteering and offering their homes care.”
Speaking at the event, the Mayor of Blackburn with Darwen, Councillor Suleman Khonat said: “As a Mayor of Blackburn, it’s my duty to welcome you. I appreciate some of you have been here six months and some longer and some less, but you are all most welcome here. There’s no place in the world like Blackburn.
“Blackburn has so much to offer. It’s unbelievable. The stories I’m hearing and listening to are very touching.
“As you look at Blackburn more and more, the town centre has a lot to offer, there’s events that happen throughout the year, not just at Christmas, there is so much on offer and you must take advantage of everything that happens in Blackburn.
“And equally, make sure you come and support when The Bureau organise an event. Whether it’s a coffee morning or a get together, you must come and support everything.
“And finally, the team who have put all of this together, so let’s give them all a big thank you.”
Councillor Phil Riley said: “It’s obviously really poignant for these people to be away from their homes and families in a strange town on what is a very important, religious and festive day for them. So, it’s a lovely thing that there is an event that is put on, however sad that must be for the Ukrainians, and it seems right that we should come and recognise that and just come and say hello.
“We are a diverse community, and this is just another example of that. They’ll be welcomed and its increasingly easier for people from different places to be welcomed because there’s such a level of it now in the town which I think is really positive.”
To find out more information about The Bureau's project, you can follow them on Facebook or visit the website here.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here