Invasion Day + 86-87 Hoggy has been swamped in love for Ukraine over these past two days so hopefully our readers can look again at the blog and support the work anew. We took a bad dent whilst Hoggy was away so please help us to recover and with everyone's support we can do this. The need is now. And it will be 'now' for some time yet.
Please, please, please send the details on to your contacts and friends, posts, and your own media sites. Please write in, raise the bar, create hope in word, and song, and images...
Remember, all submissions will go forward to the published book on Ukraine as the conflict comes to an eventual end, as it must and will, the proceeds of which will of course go to Hoggy's Fund to help Ukrainians wherever we can for as long as we can.
Ukraine can never die whilst such love exists. It is this that will bring this wicked war of the bitterness of an unhinged madman to an end. Please spread the word wherever you can. It is the all pervading love of freedom, truth and justice that will eventually overcome this evil.
Here is a sample of what has been happening. Hoggy will mail this one out to you because it is is so beautiful. If you love these things we hope you will love Lina's latest message to the world.
* Lina sings for the world on Vyshyvanka Day
The vyshyvanka is the word that describes the traditional embordered Ukrainian national costume. It is a fundamental element of Ukrainian identity, culture and folk-lore. Ukrainians can tell the region from which the wearer is from by studying the embroidery worn.
Traditionally the threads used bark, leaves, flowers and berries for colour whereby the local flora was reflected. Black, red and white are the main colours with yellow, blue and green being secondary colours.
* Two Girls from Chernivtsi
Hoggy has been away in Birmingham these past two days and last night was introduced to two recent arrivals from Ukraine, Tasia and Andra. The girls have come alone to their host family, relatives they have never met in the UK and are settling in. They leave behind their parents and younger brother in Ukraine. Thinking of them all, the girls, their hosts, their neighbours and Hoggy all watched Lina singing for Ukraine on Vyshyvanka Day. It was very moving.
We have offered to help and have put them in touch with Oksana, our amazing Ukrainian organiser here. Hopefully we can work to develop Tasia and Andra's English sufficiently to allow them a happy and welcome time in the UK for as long as the need to be here.
* Huge thanks to the Masters' Local History students at Birmingham Uni
Thank you all at the University of Birmingham Master's day school yesterday for raising nearly £100 for Hoggy's Fund through donations for copies of 'Sunflowers.' You are wonderful. We send all wishes for your upcoming studies and dissertations and hope you can find time to see the blog and maybe even write a few words for it?
* Sunflowers for Ukraine' Launch Event: Gallery 6, Scarborough, Tuesday 21st June 2022
We have booked Gallery 6 at Scarborough for a 'Sunflowers' fund raising event with the lovely permission and support of Leslie Stones, the ever supportive owner. Further details to follow but please note the date and time 6pm to 8 pm in your diaries. It will be a drop-in event entry by donation for a copy of Sunflowers. Wine, sponsored by Bryn Stowe Publications, will be available as well as soft drinks and we look forward to seeing our local supporters again and raising more much needed money for Hoggy's Fund.
* 'Eurovision: Ukraine's Victory' BBC News Channel. A Must See.
If you haven't already seen this thirty minute programme please try and catch it. It is heart moving, inspiring and a beacon of hope and power for peace in Ukraine. The Kalush Orchestra are brilliant, the reporting amazingly uplifting. Let the love live on in Ukraine. This country and its people are truly standing for us all who love freedom right now. A 'must-see' in Hoggy's book.
Meanwhile...
Hoggy says let us not go there today but bask in the beauty of Lina's singing.
Bless you Lina: you are our very own Eurovision winner and a true hero of Ukraine. Your music is stunning and you are in our hearts and thoughts.
Hoggy
Today's Letters
From Oksana in North Yorkshire
Dear Hoggy,
'Better News from Kharkiv'
We have some better news despite the situation in the Donbas and Mariupol.
Things are getting better in Kharkiv, the shelling is now a lot less and three of the ladies who you are helping from the fund, Hanna, Sasha and her grandma, are planning to return home to Kharkiv next week. Hannah is going to do some home made crafts and sell on Etsy because she lost her job when the war started.
In general they are all fine.
Lina is still in Kharkiv with her grandma and Lora isn't going to return there just yet.
Kate who you are also helping is here now in the UK as you know and is moving from her part time job to a full time job in a shop from Monday. She will probably work six or seven days a week to earn as much as possible to send to her parents who need the financial support.
Lina has sent another video for us all. It is lovely. The song celebrates part of Ukrainian culture which will never die.
She is wearing a national Ukrainian embordered costume called a Vyshyvanka. May 19th is Vyshyvanka Day in Ukraine.
Oksana and Lina.
.
Dear Oksana and Lina,
Thank you dear, dear friends.
Just this.
Hoggy
From Bill Petherick in Scotland
Dear Hoggy,
I am just sending you a few of the comments about Sunflowers for Ukraine. It is being very well received up here.
Denis Hunt
An amazing book supporting a great cause. Well worth reading and on occasions brought me to tears.
Anne Smith
I have had to read the book several times as many of the poems had me in tears. Every success with the book.
Alex McKenzie
An excellent publication with a great variety of poems and stories.
Keep going Hoggy!
Bill.
Dear Bill,
Thank you to you and all of your brilliant friends.
You are a tower of strength for us all here, far and wide.
May the heather warm your heart as you do ours.
Hoggy
Dear all,
We have lots of brilliant posts to come. All who have sent this week please bear with us as we catch up.
Greatly, but sadly for us at Hoggy, Kate from Ukraine, who has safely arrived and settled amongst us, starts full-time work tomorrow to help support her family back home and we wish her and her family all fortune and safety.
But it means we cannot work with her for the cause so we are looking for a replacement. If anyone can help, particularly with considering how best to proceed to social media please can they let us know?
Ideally we are looking for an English speaking Ukrainian with social media skills!
Thank you all,
Hoggy
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