Friends of Compassion Acts have launched their Ukrainian exhibition at The Atkinson, Southport.

In the wake of the conflict in Ukraine, Nina, Vita, Olena, and Valentina sought refuge in Southport, arriving at the Ukraine Welcome Centre at Compassion Acts.

Nina proposed the idea of an English conversation group to supplement formal language classes, a way of providing a casual platform for language practice and community building.

No such group existed until the collaboration of the Ukrainian refugees and Compassion Acts came together and created – ‘Speakeasy’.

Over the course of a year, Speakeasy flourished, meeting weekly at Christ Church on Lord Street. Their initiative caught the attention of Jo Chamberlain from the Atkinson, who sought participants for an upcoming exhibition.

With support from friends and volunteers, Nina, Vita, Olena, and Valentina each contributed to the exhibition, which was recently launched to the public. From traditional crafts to personal stories of resilience, the display highlights the richness of Ukrainian culture and strength of the people.

The success of this collaboration highlights the importance of community support for newcomers.

We are so proud of the team!

If you’d like to get involved in one of the workshops you can find our more information on The Atkinson website – here.