St Mary's are delighted that the AUGB Sheffield branch will continue to meet here until summer 2024.
Pictures above is Tanya and her son, Oleg's godmother Lesia from a recent trip to Ukraine. Tanya tells us:

"We were very lucky during our trip to Ukraine as the only bombing which happened in my parents town while we were there was without any casualties. Moreover, because the nearest air raid siren kept waking Oleg up, that night we moved him to a bedroom on the opposite side of the house and shut the window up. As the result he managed to sleep through the sirens and the bombing. The resilience of those living now in Ukraine is remarkable. I am attaching a photo with Oleg’s Godmother who was widowed by this war, but who also is one of the biggest positive influences in his life. Lesia is a mother of Solomia, Bohdan and Nazar. Her husband was a civilian killed in 2015 in Donbas (Eastern Ukraine) while delivering food and medicine to the frontline.

Until spring 2022 I was the only one from my family living abroad. Now 12 of my relatives, all women and children, are living in England on Extended Family and Homes for Ukraine scheme. However many more (including my parents) are still in Ukraine and we went to visit them. Oleg is my youngest son. He was a pupil at the CoE Porter Croft Primary school and it was through this link that I knew about the St Mary’s openness to other cultures, and knew Claire and Karen personally. This is why in May 2022 I initiated the conversation about using your facilities for a Ukrainian Club. "

Our thoughts and prayers go to all those still living in terrible war conditions in Ukraine.