The chair of a group organising a family fun day to celebrate Ukrainian Independence Day hopes it can show Scotland how thankful Ukrainians are for their help over recent years and provide hope and enjoyment for displaced members of their community.
Kateryna Campbell moved to Scotland nine years ago with her husband and is the current chair of the Glasgow branch of the Association of Ukrainians in Great Britain (AUGB). The organisation was originally set up in 1946 to help people who had moved from the country to the UK during and after the second world war.
Initially a group to help keep Ukrainian culture, language and heritage alive in the UK, the Russian invasion in February 2022 and the subsequent arrival of Ukrainians into Britain means it has switched course and become a much needed service for them.
They provide English lessons and set up social events, including a football team recently started, and help those who have been forced to uproot their lives to the UK. Many of the women and children who arrived are anxiously waiting to hear about brothers, fathers and husbands who stayed in Ukraine to fight on the frontline and plenty of them have had to deal with loss already.
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There are around 24,000 Ukrainians all across Scotland and AUGB hope to have around 500 people at an event in Glasgow’s Victoria Park on Saturday, August 24 to help them celebrate their independence.
Music will be provided from a Ukrainian choir who have performed at the Royal Concert Hall and with Scotland’s National Orchestra, as well as other Ukrainian performers in Scotland. Sports and other games will also be played while Glasgow Warriors are sending representatives along to show their support.
It’s something Kateryna feels could be a huge success, providing the weather doesn’t ruin things, and she believes it’s a chance to give back to Scotland as well.
She said: “We have two goals with this which firstly is to celebrate Ukrainian Independence Day. For Ukrainians it’s normally a nice day with your family to celebrate your culture and heritage and the fact we’re a free nation but in the last two and a half years it’s taken a whole new meaning because of Russia’s full scale invasion and war against Ukraine. It’s a more important holiday now to celebrate our freedom and sovereignty and the fact we’re a free people. We’re still having to defend that freedom.
A ceremony to mark Ukrainian Independence Day was held in Edinburgh this morning (Image: PA Wire)
“But another aspect is to bring people together because Scotland has welcomed more than 24,000 Ukrainians. It’s our way of way of giving back and saying thank you for welcoming us into your home during these difficult times. The activities are focused on mental health and wellbeing with sports and fun things. For a lot of Ukrainian children, who have gone through seriously traumatic experiences with having to uproot their lives and move somewhere else not speaking the language, it will be good to have a nice family day.
“In the beginning there will be a couple of speeches and performances by a Ukrainian choir and singers and then sports activities like pickle ball, yoga, rugby. Glasgow Warriors are coming along and will do some drills with the kids. There will be rugby for the wee ones, rugby tots, cycling but we’ll also have face painting, arts and crafts, we’ll have a fire engine. I hope the wind dies down so I don’t have to cancel it all.”
(Image: Getty Images)
Many of the families who have moved to Scotland arrived with very little given the war in their home country. Homes were destroyed, families broken up and many have either lost a loved one or wait anxiously to hear news on their wellbeing on the frontline.
That, in itself, is enough to make everything an extremely difficult situation. For many, though, they have also left jobs in industries such as medicine and law and are very well educated – yet in Scotland and the rest of the UK they are unable to pick up where they left off.
It has added to the stresses and difficulties of people who have been displaced but the way Scotland has helped has made a difference.
She continued: “Some stories you come across are just horrendous. People living through occupation, their houses being burnt down, seeing their family members killed. A lot of women and children came here and their husbands stayed. A lot have lost their husbands, brothers or sons so you hear horrendous stories.
“You have people who have had their houses destroyed and can’t go back or people who come from occupied territories and don’t want to live under that. It’s difficult for a lot of people.
“We do activities regularly but we’re mindful that we’re celebrating while the war is still going on. At the start of the event we want to focus on it still happening but I think it’s important for people not to constantly live in that stress.
“It’s also that a lot of people have higher education in Ukraine and they would be professionals back home but because they can’t work in the same fields, they can’t just come here and become a doctor. A lot find themselves stuck and don’t know what to do. Women come with children alone and there’s not that support system so there’s a lot of nuances.
“It’s not just losing your home or a loved one, they have to find their way here and people do struggle with that. There’s support but there’s language barrier and a different culture to adapt to so there’s a lot of nuances but it’s great, Scotland has welcomed so many people and it’s wonderful how they have helped and supported people.
“It’s a difficult situation but it’s good to know there is that help and support.”
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