‘Pray for Ukraine’: Independence Day to be marked in Hull with service of remembrance

Picture by Yura Khomitskyi

By Simon Bristow

Hull will express its enduring solidarity with Ukraine on Ukrainian Independence Day on Wednesday, marking 31 years since the country declared independence from the Soviet Union, and six months since it was invaded in a brutal war of aggression by Russia.

To mark the occasion, a ‘Pray for Ukraine’ service of remembrance will be held at Hull Minster, while the Wilberforce Statue near Queens Gardens will be lit in the Ukranian national colours of blue and yellow, and the Ukrainian flag will be flown from the top of the Guildhall, home of Hull City Council.

Latest figures from the council show the city has provided sanctuary to 149 refugees from Ukraine since the war began, with residents opening their homes to those fleeing the war.

The people of Hull, supported by local businesses and charities, have also been sending humanitarian aid to Ukraine through the well-supported Hull4Ukraine initiative. Since March, the council has also been providing a dedicated service to refugees from Ukraine staffed by Ukrainian speakers.

Council services have worked closely with the Homes for Ukraine scheme to support people arriving under the Ukraine Family Visa Scheme.  The council said this has been “a big team effort working alongside other agencies and charities, including Hull4Ukraine, Welcome House and Forum, to provide help and support”.

SUPPORT: Aid donated by people in Hull before being shipped to Ukraine

Hull4Ukraine, which is co-ordinating the service at the Minster, will also have a presence at this year’s Freedom Festival on Saturday, September 3, around Hull Marina.

City council leader, Councillor Mike Ross, said, “It has been clear to all that Hull fully supports the Ukrainian community, welcoming so many to our city. Our thoughts are with those who have lost loved ones in the conflict and have had to leave friends and family members behind.

“Being displaced to a foreign country is both challenging and distressing. People not only have to embrace a different culture but different ways of life, such as education and health services, plus the complexity of living in someone else’s home.  I’m proud of the warm welcome offered to our Ukrainian guests by their hosts, the support given by a wide range of organisations, and the generosity of so many residents.

“In flying Ukraine's flag and lighting the statue of William Wilberforce, whose name is synonymous with freedom and those seeking sanctuary, we are demonstrating our solidarity with Ukraine and taking a stand against Russian repression.”

• ‘Ukraine’s fight is our fight too’ - Read this opinion piece by Hull-born former diplomat Paul Knott, written exclusively for The Hull Story, here.