Ukrainian refugees raise over £2,000 for children's hospital in Kharkiv

For a month, their poster had caught the eye of many a local punter, to the extent that the event: 'A Celebration of Ukrainian Culture' at The All Saints Centre in Lewes, last Saturday, was completely sold out. Every penny raised will go towards purchasing vital medical equipment for the Children's Hospital in Kharkiv.

The welcoming speech and videos of Ukraine, both sobering and inspiring, reminded us of the importance of fund-raising events such as this. It was no coincidence that it was held on 11th November. People were clearly moved by the resilience of the organisers: all women, separated from their men-folk 2,000 miles away.

As we tucked into delicious Ukrainian food; from hearty stuffed cabbage to heavenly honey cake, we were entertained by fabulous music from duo: Dina & Polina; singer-songwriter Valentina; 10-strong choir: 'Ukrainian Voices', with their beautiful harmonies, and the more pop-orientated band: 'Kolo'. The crowd then made way for 'Kalyna': a recently-formed dance troupe, who, dressed in traditional 'vyshyvanky' (embroidered shirts) put on an arresting performance.

Money raised from ticket sales was topped up by the raffle, which included generous donations from local producers and businesses, including High Weald Dairy, Breaky Bottom Vineyard, Hunts Sussex Cider and three local breweries: Harveys; Beak Brewery, and Abyss Brewing. There were donations from 'Bonne Bouche' (the little pink chocolate shop), cinema tickets from 'The Depot' and a holistic spa voucher from The Unity Centre.

Southover Bonfire Society ran the bar with their customary friendliness and efficiency and in the bar area, there were a number of craft stalls, raising further funds for humanitarian aid. There was also a display, drawing attention to Pershotravensk Lyceum (a school in the Zhitomyr region) that needs urgent assistance with purchasing a 10kw generator before another winter of anticipated power-cuts sets in.

Marking Anglo-Ukrainian friendship: local folk musicians welcomed dancers onto the floor with a traditional Sussex barn dance, followed by the 'Hopak', a lively Ukrainian dance taught by the evening's compere: Vladyslava.

The evening closed with the singing of 'Shche ne vmerla Ukrainy i slava i volia ...' (The Ukrainian National Anthem).

The event, supported by 'The Launchpad Collective' and volunteers from Christ Church, Lewes and 'Lewes for Ukraine', raised over £2,000. One of the organisers, Svitlana, said: "We want to express our sincere gratitude to British people for their support and help. We wouldn't have achieved our goal without you and we do hope you have enjoyed our event and felt the spirit of Ukraine."

At a time that saw division and hatred around Remembrance Weekend, it was heartening to see people from different countries and backgrounds coming together and celebrating in time-honoured fashion (eating, drinking, dancing and singing): their common humanity, at such an uplifting and worthwhile social gathering.