Ukraine Refugees and Supporters Mark Anniversary of Russian Invasion

Ukraine citizens and their supporters held a vigil and march at the Stade Open Space in Hastings on Friday (24 February) to mark 365 days of Russian war against Ukraine.

East Sussex College Hastings Media Make-up artistry student, Krysta Shiels, is a member of the Association of Ukrainians in Great Britain (AUGB) and has been active in fundraising and supporting Ukraine since the Russian invasion one year ago.

At present, there are 180,000 seeking shelter in the UK. At the event, Krysta said, “The way British society responded to the crisis has changed British society as a whole. Hastings has been a phenomenal place for us to be. Most of our hosts said yes to housing our community beyond the moral commitment of six months.”

Krysta went on to praise the support of East Sussex College, where she is a student in Hastings, saying, “The College has been a bedrock of our community from the very start. They took a genuine interest in our affairs and met the most desperate need of every Ukrainian refugee – to be allowed to learn and grow and be part of the local community, thanks to its CEO Rebecca Conroy.”

People looking to support the AUGB can do so via their website www.augb.co.uk.