National Refugee Week – whose theme this year was Our Home – was a busy time for Culbaba Theatre (Dandelion Theatre), the Ukrainian amateur choir from Bexhill, Hastings and beyond. 

Last Saturday, Culbaba Theatre performed at the Mriya festival (mriya means vision), organised by The Good Story Initiative, which took place under a promising blue sky at Manor Barn, Bexhill. The festival celebrated the rich talents of refugees and aimed to build a more connected and compassionate community. It opened with the song “Prayer for Ukraine,” performed by the choir, made up of 10 refugee women who met here in the UK after fleeing the war. 

The choir were dressed in stunning traditional costumes from Ukraine and had spent many weeks rehearsing their repertoire and making their headdresses as well as others that were for sale. Other Ukrainian groups and individual singers also entertained the festival goers, who joined in the dancing on the lawns, holding hands in unity. The crowds were also drawn in by stalls selling Ukrainian chocolate, flowery scarves, hand-made jewellery and hand-crafted greetings cards.

“Singing together is therapeutic,” says Valeriya Dvornyk, founder of The Good Story Initiative. “It’s times likes these, more than ever, that people need to come together.” 

Members of the community had written their touching stories of the meaning of ‘home’, and these were laminated and hung, like prayer flags, on the outdoor staircase. The crowds also savoured a mouth-watering lunch of Ukrainian cuisine, served in the grand hall. Dumplings stuffed with potato and onion, stacks of sausages and fermented cabbage salad perfumed the air. Poppy-filled pastries and buns of cottage cheese and apple flew off the serving plates. Credit for this delicious spread goes to head chef Valentyna Karpenko and the ladies who helped. 

All proceeds from the festival went towards purchasing lifesaving tactical medicine to be sent to the frontline. 

There was no rest for the choir. On Sunday they performed at Hastings Sanctuary festival, held in the grounds of Hastings Museum. This time the choir sang acapella which foregrounded their amazingly strong and poignant voices.

And on Wednesday evening, Culbaba Theatre took to the stage – the De La Warr stage. They performed alongside the London Mozart Players in Story of the Folk, a concert showcasing folk music from around the world. 

The Good Story Initiative offers diverse wellbeing activities on Saturdays for displaced people, currently at St John’s Centre, Bexhill where the Culbaba Theatre rehearses and makes their magic. 

If you would like to get involved, contact Valeriya at the.good.story2020@gmail.com, tel 07476972982