Businesses and individuals from Ruddington are showing their solidarity with the people of Ukraine by supporting a local march at the end of this month.
The procession through West Bridgford on Saturday 30th April is being co-ordinated by Sofia Lesuik (pictured above with Alex Preston of The Bottle Top). Sofia is well known in our village, having lived here for seven years until her recent move. She ran the Pre-school team at Ruddington Day Nursery for ten years and supported and organised many village events during this time; such as the RDN annual summer BBQs and Christmas Treasure Hunt at the Country Park in partnership with the Santa Run for Rainbows.
Sofia’s Grandfather ‘Walter’ (Wolodymyr Lesiuk) was among the first Ukrainians to arrive in Nottingham when fleeing another Russian invasion in the country in the 1940s. He founded the National Ukrainian Association in the city that later evolved to over 50 clubs nationwide. This was recognised when he was invited to Buckingham Palace to receive the Queen’s thanks for years of service to the Ukrainian community.
Sofia explains: “My Grandfather came to this country aged 17 with just the clothes on his back. What he achieved and the legacy he left, combined with my work in the Rushcliffe community, really made me feel I needed to step forward and lead this march. Employed by the Rock Church to work within the community I feel well placed to work with other local charities and co-ordinate this walk which we hope will resonate with many, many people.”
She continues: “Ukrainians are sadly no strangers to conflict and it was Holodomor in the 1930s that saw the starvation of more than seven million Ukrainians over a period of 18 months and a third of all children in Ukraine perish as a result. It is therefore vital that we continue to show support. Please join us in solidarity with the people of the Ukraine on Saturday 30th April”.
As can be seen from the photos below, Sofia is already receiving the backing of many Ruddington businesses to promote her event; flying the Ukranian flag and displaying event posters in their windows to encourage villagers to join the march and show our support.
Those taking part in the ‘Solidarity March for Ukraine’ should meet near the Test Match Pub on Gordon Road in West Bridgford at 10.30am on Saturday 30th April, then process around half a mile on a route through Central Avenue, finishing at Lutterell Hall. You are encouraged to take along a sunflower, otherwise a daffodil, to show solidarity and to remember all children recently lost in hospital attacks across the Ukraine. These can be laid on the Croquet Lawn as part of the march route. Once at Lutterrell Hall, Sofia (its new Operations Manager) will address attendees together with members of the Ukrainian Association, Rushcliffe Borough Council Leader Cllr Simon Robinson and other local dignitaries.
Ruddingtonians of any age are invited to join the march. Sofia asks those set to attend to please email ukraine@lutterellhall.org.uk as soon as possible to enable organisers to prepare for measures around the event. Alternatively you can click the ‘going’ or ‘interested’ buttons on their dedicated Facebook page >>HERE<<.
“Those on the march or observing, or who wish to support from afar, will also be invited to donate digitally whatever amount they choose” adds Sofia. “Other fundraising opportunities will be outlined closer to the event. This will go towards working with the Ukrainian community and responding to the most imminent needs.”
We’ll bring you more news about this, and other ways in which our village is supporting the people of Ukraine, here on the RUDDINGTON.info website and via our social media.
