Cake and crafts event to welcome Ukrainian women and children to Wales

An event held to welcome women and children who have come to Wales from Ukraine may become a regular fixture after being hailed as a success.

Swansea Feminist Network teamed up with Sunflowers Wales to invite the women to a ‘cakes and craft’ afternoon at The Hide community centre at its lakeside location in Brynmill Park Swansea on Saturday.

In all, 16 children and 13 women came to the free event where they were able to have fun, chat and relax with other member of the Ukrainian community and the children enjoyed playing, making new friends and getting involved in arts and crafts activities.

The feedback from the women was they would like to take part in further activities of this kind and were delighted to be welcomed to the centre.

One committee member at the Hide and organiser donated a prize voucher she had won meaning the visitors were welcomed with an enormous cake decorated with a Ukraine flag and some luxurious cupcakes made for the event by Celebration confectioners in Uplands.

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Hide committee member and Swansea Feminist Network co-ordinator Ali Morris said: “We were pleased to be able to facilitate this free event where women and children could come together in a safe environment and relax and have fun while being able to speak in their mother tongue and meet others from their homeland. We hope this will be the first of many events of its kind”.

Sunflowers

Sunflowers Wales is a group of Ukrainian friends who have been working since 2014 to organise regular shipments of humanitarian aid and medical supplies to Ukraine.

Since April this year the group has been turning its attention to support and welcome Ukrainian refugees arriving in Wales, offering practical, social and emotional assistance.

On 24 August the group will be hosting a Ukrainian Independence Day event in the Arts Wing of the Grand Theatre in Swansea.

The event, in partnership with the Grand Multicultural Hub, will offer attendees a taste of Ukrainian culture along with stalls, crafts and food tasting opportunities.

For more information about Sunflowers Wales visit their website or their Facebook page and their Amazon wishlist can be found here.

The Hide is a volunteer run venue owned by Swansea Council, which hosts a range of community events, Tai Chi classes, and arts and crafts workshops and can be hired for birthday parties and meetings.