Chain of Thanks
Ukrainians living in Hastings and along the south coast organised an environmental clean-up of beaches stretching more than 350 miles of coastline from Plymouth to Whitstable last Saturday (27 September). This was part of a ‘Chain of Thanks’ to show their appreciation to the people of Britain for offering them safety after they had fled their war-torn country.
Local Ukrainians Give Back with Beach Clean
Families, friends and local supporters worked side by side filling bags with plastic, bottles and other litter. It was both a clean-up and a symbolic gesture of giving something back.
Kira Zalitok was one of those taking part. Along with her daughter, Gloria, she fled Kyiv shortly after the outbreak of the war, arriving at Gatwick Airport on 25 April 2022 under the UK government’s Homes for Ukraine scheme.
They were welcomed into the Old Town by Neil and Tony, whom they found using the opora.uk web app supporting Ukrainians to find hosts in the UK. They are still living with them today and have become firm friends and fully integrated within the local community.
Things were difficult when they first arrived. Gloria spoke no English and felt isolated and very homesick. Three years later, however, she attends Hastings Academy and speaks English fluently. She has many friends and calls Hastings her home.
Kira too, is enjoying her new life in the UK. She now works at Hastings Direct as an accountant and says she is “so grateful to Britain and to the people of Hastings for welcoming us with kindness, and support.”
The Chain of Thanks, she added, “was our way of returning that kindness while also teaching our children about responsibility for the planet. It was about building connections and demonstrating that Ukrainians want to contribute positively wherever we live”.
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