Refugee Week – Community as a Superpower
ANDREW SWAN
Refugee Week takes place nationwide from 16-22 June, and this year’s theme is Community as a Superpower. Across the country, people are encouraged to explore how collective support and neighbourliness can make a difference; and here in Hastings & St Leonards, local venues are getting involved in their own ways. Take a look at The Refugee Buddy Project’s Instagram for more details.
At The Crown Hastings, we’ll be marking the week by serving a traditional Ukrainian borscht, made in collaboration with Lidiya Khramenkova. Lidiya came to the UK through the Homes for Ukraine scheme and has been living in Hastings since 2022. Borscht is a beetroot-based soup that is a staple in many Eastern European households. The dish is based on her traditional family recipe, adapted to be meat-free. It will be available throughout the week at the Crown, with £1 from every sale donated to The Refugee Buddy Project, a local organisation that supports refugees and asylum seekers as they settle into life in and around Hastings.
Lidiya says “Borscht is not just soup – it’s part of our soul. Every Ukrainian family has their own way of making it, and every grandma swears hers is the best. In my family, it was my mother’s borscht that was the tastiest. I still remember being a little girl, running around in the kitchen while she cooked. I used to help her prepare the vegetables while she chopped them, probably more in the way than helping, to be honest!
“As kids, we couldn’t wait for the borscht to be ready. But in our house, there was a rule: once the pot was off the heat, you had to let it rest. This extra time lets the vegetables release all their flavours and ‘talk to each other’ as my mum would say. In our family, we always served borscht with a spoonful of sour cream and some fresh dill — it gives that perfect finishing touch.
“I hope my mum won’t be offended when I say this, but I cook it too now, and I’ve adapted her recipe in my own way. I like it a bit more bold. I call it ‘agent borscht’ – strong, vibrant, unforgettable! My favourite way to eat it? A hot bowl of borscht, a bite of black bread, and a crunchy green onion on the side. My son loves it so much that when there’s too little left to scoop with a spoon, he lifts the plate with both hands and drinks it like soup from a fairy tale.
So yes – borscht is food. But it’s also memory, family, and love in a bowl.”
During the week, the windowsills of The Crown will display a curated selection of arts and crafts created by Ukrainian refugees who now live in the area. All of these items will be available to purchase, offering customers the chance to support creative work directly.
Ukrainian borscht
This recipe serves 4–6 people:
Ingredients
- For the broth:
- 2 vegetable stock cubes
- 2.5-3 litres water
- 1-2 bay leaves
- 5-7 black peppercorns
- Salt to taste
- Vegetables:
- 2-3 medium beetroots
- 1 carrot
- 1 onion
- 3-4 potatoes
- 200-300g white cabbage (shredded)
- 2 tomatoes or 2 tbsp
tomato paste - 1 red bell pepper
- 2-3 garlic cloves
- 1 can haricot beans
(optional but recommended) - Oil for sauteing
To serve:
- Sour cream (or yoghurt)
- Fresh dill, parsley, or spring onion
- Bread–ideally rye
Method
- Make the broth: In a large pot, combine the water, stock cubes, bay leaves, peppercorns and salt. Bring to the boil and leave it to simmer.
- Cook the vegetable base: Sauté the chopped onion in oil until soft. Add grated carrot and beetroots. After a few minutes, stir in garlic, tomato paste/chopped tomatoes, and haricot beans. Cook for 7–10 minutes on a low heat.
- Build the soup: Add diced peeled potatoes to the simmering broth. Cook for 10 minutes, then add the sautéed vegetable mix. Once potatoes are nearly cooked, add the cabbage and bell pepper. Simmer until all vegetables are tender (10–15 minutes).
- Final steps: Taste and adjust seasoning. Add chopped herbs and let the soup rest, covered, for 20-30 minutes before serving.
- To serve: Ladle into bowls, add a spoonful of sour cream, and garnish with herbs. Serve with bread.
Lidiya Khramenkova / Andrew Swan See more at instagram.com/therefugeebuddyproject
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