Towcester twins with Ukraine city in 'emotional moment'

Volunteers in Towcester have provided aid to Ukraine since the start of the illegal invasion and continue to do so with a former Zhydachiv resident who came to Towcester with his family.

Collections led through St Lawrence Church in Towcester and the Tove Benefice of churches has delivered huge amounts of humanitarian and medical aid into Ukraine.

This initially started with the collection of over 20 tons of humanitarian aid in early March 2022; by default, acting as the West Northants collection hub and helping to fill lorries in Northampton which were destined for Ukraine cities that had been subject to heavy bombings.

Since then, working with others initiatives locally, 6 deliveries (20 vehicles to date) full of humanitarian aid and specialist medical items has been undertaken to a trusted volunteer network based in Lviv, Ukraine. The vehicles are left in Ukraine for military and emergency evacuation purposes and have included two ex-NHS ambulances filled with donated medical and rehabilitation items to assist those wounded in the war.

Each of these drives has been co-organised and driven by Ukraine national, Oleh Naida, who came to Towcester in July 2022 to rejoin with his wife and 3 young children who had fled to the safety of Towcester a few months earlier. Oleh, originally from the town of Zhydachiv, has been a key figure in ensuring the success of each drive, and that the vehicles and aid reach their trusted volunteer network in Ukraine. Most recently Oleh assisted with the onward delivery of these vehicles to frontline units in some of the most dangerous areas, including Kharkiv in the far east and Kherson to the south. In all driving in excess of 3000 miles within the same week.

In order to honour the collective efforts of Towcester and Oleh, and show continued unity and support with Ukraine, Towcester Town Council agreed for Mayor Cllr David Tarbun to approach the Mayor of Zhydachiv requesting that the two towns twin. Cllr David Tarbun was keen to help secure agreement having met with Oleh’s parents in the autumn when they made their first visit to the UK. Zhydachiv is a rural town approximately 1 hour south of Lviv in western Ukraine. Its population is approximately 10,500; not dissimilar to that of Towcester. Oleh personally delivered the Towcester invitation to Mayor Volodymyr Levko on his last aid drive in November, and the response of grateful acceptance was presented back by Oleh to Cllr David Tarbun at this week’s Towcester Town Council meeting. This is the first ever twinning for the historic Roman town of Towcester which makes it ever more symbolic that it should be with a town in Ukraine

Cllr David Tarbun said “This is an emotional moment for the Tove Benefice team and our Ukrainian guests who have worked so tirelessly for the past two years helping the friends and family whom they have left behind to defend their country, and those who have been affected by the invasion of Ukraine. It is clear from what we still see on the news and hear directly, that the people of Ukraine continue to suffer daily, and as we approach the second anniversary of the invasion it is ever more important that we continue to show our solidarity and support for them. What better way is there to do this than initiate the first ever twinning for our historic Roman town with the Ukraine town of Zhydachiv, and continue to send our aid”.

Local aid efforts continue to support those affected by the war, with Oleh and the Tove Benefice team planning to take out a further Ambulance / Emergency Evacuation Vehicle to Ukraine this Spring. In addition, they will be supporting the rehabilitation of those wounded or traumatised by the war. In June last year, the team met Yuliya Stadnytska who established the Wilderness Therapy voluntary organisation, Metta, in Lviv. Through Metta and Yuliya’s efforts, various types of therapy are provided to families affected by loss, or veterans affected by the trauma of going to war (and sometimes of torture). In November a donation of 1000 euros was given from the people of Towcester towards this work. As part of the next aid drive, the team hope to raise 2000 euros in order to fund a 4-day Wilderness Therapy programme whereby 15 Veterans or bereaved family members will be taken to the Lviv region Carpathian Mountains to find calmness through connecting with nature and other therapeutic activities.

Dame Adrea Leadsom MP said “We can all be very proud of our community's response to the suffering wrought by Putin's illegal invasion of Ukraine. Local people have raised a huge amount of aid for those affected by the war, with many, myself included, welcoming them into their homes via the Homes for Ukraine Scheme. Twinning our town with Zhydachiv in Western Ukraine is a fantastic idea, and a recognition of our community's defiance in the face of tyranny. My special thanks go to St Lawrence Church and the Tove Benefice of churches, who have done outstanding work helping those in need.”

If you would like to help contribute to these incredible aid efforts, you can do so via the attached link or by scanning the QR code on this page. All enquiries / offers of assistance can be made by calling the Tove Benefice Office on 01327 350459.

Any donation however small will assist our ongoing efforts. With thanks to all those who support, and prayers for all those affected by war around the world.

Revd Paula Challen, Steve Challen, Oleh Naida, and Towcester Mayor Cllr David Tarbun

https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/Towcester-Ukraine-Spring-2024