Salisbury to mark 2nd anniversary of Russia-Ukraine war
A number of events to show support are being held this weekend
Today, 24th February 2024, marks two years since Russia invaded the Ukraine.
People in Salisbury will be gathering today to show support for the people of the war-torn country, led by the Salisbury Community Hub for Ukraine (SCHU).
Jane Ebel is a member of the SCHU and spoke to Greatest Hits Radio, telling us that support is still vital.
"It is such a critical moment in the history of this war, I think we all feel that," she said.
Jane added: "Ukraine has sort of fallen off the funding map for so many people and so many organisations, as a result of other things that have happened in this last year in other parts of the world and there is a real sense of urgency to keep up the support."
The support needed isn't just financial, it's emotional too and being open to welcoming refugees to Wiltshire.
The community hub is hosting a number of events across the weekend.
Today, a meeting is being held at Salisbury Methodist Church with prayers, at 9:30am. After that, the leader of the City's Ukrainian comminuty Oksana will give a short address at the War Memorial, before a minute silence at 11am.
In the evening, around 6pm, there will photographic exhibition from the Ukraine at the Blackledge theatre at Godolphin School, ahead of a screening of the film 'Carol of the Bells', or 'Shchedryck' in Ukrainian, at 7pm.
On Sunday, a series of 'longing and belonging' creative workshops are being held at St Martin's Church.
Peter and Roxana Vilk will be host the workshops, which include one for children (11:15am), one for teens (1:15pm) and one for adults (3:15pm).
Jane told us they're a way of 'reflecting and processing' the events of the last two years and looking ahead to the future.
Continued support for villages on the frontline
The community hub continues to support the people of Ukraine, with their "Adopt a community" scheme.
"We are supporting 6 villages along the Dnipro River, which is rapidly becoming the frontline," Jane said, adding: "they're very much at risk and very cut off from the rest of the world in those villages."
More supplies will be sent out over the next few weeks and months and the people of Salisbury are being encouraged to help support those villages however they can.