[One of the Ukrainian musicians is the well-known violinist Illia Bondarenko]
I’m a bit late getting this out, but l have been dealing with a major hack into my desktop computer!! Do be very aware, folks, of anything that pops up on social media and looks suspicious. These people are getting so clever.
Marian McNeir writes: “I’m a founder member of Friends of Oleksandriya, our partner city in Ukraine.
We do a lot of fundraising for humanitarian aid, for example, we have supplied generators for the children’s hospital and ambulance cars.
The latest project is to supply rehabilitation equipment for veterans returning from the front with serious injuries like amputations. The hospital in Oleksandriya is planning to create a rehabilitation centre but lacks the equipment.
We are looking to see if any of our centres have had new equipment and could sell or donate their old equipment.
We also need to fundraise to buy possible equipment and pay for transport costs.
There is a fundraising concert coming up on 18 June at the Widcombe Social Club – the details are in the attachment below.
One of the Ukrainian musicians is the well-known violinist Illia Bondarenko – photo attached – and prize-winning artist Zhanna Kadyrova.
At the moment, Zhenya Shkil, the Chair of the Friends of Oleksandriya, is in our partner city delivering an ambulance car – one of seven donated by UK Rotary Clubs and driven by Zhenya and seven Rotarians overland. The convoy set off on Friday and reached Kyiv yesterday.
While in Oleksandriya, Zhenya will have talks with senior medical staff to assess which equipment is most urgently needed.”
Here’s the release in full:
Displaced: Within and Beyond, presented by The Friends of Oleksandriya on Wednesday, 18th June at 19:30
Spotlighting the resilience of Ukrainians through the lens of cinema and the spirit of music.
The Friends of Oleksandriya present a screening and musical event at Widcombe Social Club as part of Bath Refugee Week 2025, celebrating the strength of Ukrainian culture and artistry. Journey into the stories of Ukraine with three independent films: audiovisual work “A Woman’s War (Жіноча Війна)” by artist Natália Štojková and musician Kornélia Nemcová, “Internally Displaced Person (IDP)” by artist Zhanna Kadyrova, and “Children’s Voices” by Mariia Kushch and Hilltops Ukrainian Support Community.
A Woman’s War (Жіноча Війна) is an audiovisual work about the untold stories and experiences of Ukrainian women who were forced to flee their homeland following the full-scale Russian invasion on 24 February 2022. Historically, the effects of war are rarely communicated from women’s perspectives, and the impact on people outside the front line is often overlooked.
Natália and Kornélia conducted 12 detailed interviews with Ukrainian women, aged 19 to over 60. Amongst them were family members, university students, artists, professors, scientists, business women, and more… Some of them fled the country with their children, while others had to settle into their new lives completely alone. Most of them have only seen their families in Ukraine a few times since 2022, and some will never see them again. A key theme of A Woman’s War was expressed by one of their anonymous respondents: “In this war, there exists a woman confronting her harsh realities. The true woman’s war unfolds itself in the act of emigration—a struggle women must often deal with on their own. This is their frontline: to safeguard lives and seek refuge abroad.”
Visually, the project employs 3D scans from Ukraine to craft immersive particle-cloud graphics, narrating individual stories by capturing the ephemerality of places and the fleeting nature of abandoned objects. Musically, it blends traditional Ukrainian and Slovak folk and choral music with contemporary sound design, amplifying the emotional resonance of these women’s experiences. A Woman’s War also holds particular significance in revitalising the discussion around the Russo-Ukrainian War, which started in 2014. Coming from Slovakia, a post-communist country directly neighbouring Ukraine, Natália and Kornélia understand the ongoing aggression and threat that Russia’s regime has been posing on many European countries for about a century, not only through physical violence and occupation but also by ongoing propaganda, destabilisation of society, and erasure of Ukrainian culture and heritage.
Internally Displaced Person (IDP) tells the story of the evacuation of her sculpture Origami, created in 2019 in Jubilee Park, Pokrovsk, Donetsk region. On 30 August 2024, amidst the ongoing war, the sculpture was dismantled and relocated from the city. The film captures the dismantling process, eyewitness testimonies, and the symbolic significance of this event, which took place during the forced evacuation of the local population. This is not just a story about a sculpture—it is a story of loss, displacement, and the effort to preserve cultural heritage in times of war.
Children’s Voices, directed by Mariia Kushch, premiered in UK Parliament in an event marking the second anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. In the short film, we hear young Ukrainians from the community describing their dreams for the future, made possible by the support given during their time in the UK. Hilltops Community are raising £30,000 to run a rehabilitation camp in the UK for Ukrainian children whose parents were killed or seriously injured in the war.
The film screenings will be complemented by performances of Ukrainian chamber music by a string quartet, led by highly acclaimed Ukrainian violinist-composer Illia Bondarenko. The quartet will perform Boris Lyatoshinsky’s String Quartet and Illia’s own string quartet.
Ticket prices:
- £15 (standard price)
- Discounted tickets available for refugees (£5 with discount code)
Due to the sensitive nature of the content, this event is not suitable for under-16s.
Founder and trustee of The Friends of Oleksandriya Zhenya Shkil says: “I am very pleased that Bath is joining the UK in a celebration of refugee culture this year. As part of Bath Refugee Week, The Friends of Oleksandriya are organising a film screening and musical event that will help locals to grasp the depth of the word ‘displaced’ in the context of refugees and their art.”
Filmmakers Natalia Štojková and Kornélia Nemcová say: “We’re honoured to be part of this special event in Bath during Refugee Week, celebrating Ukrainian culture through film and music. Our short film ‘A Woman’s War’ was created to highlight the resilience and stories of Ukrainian women displaced by the full-scale invasion. It means a lot to us to share this work with the Bath community and to stand alongside other incredible artists raising awareness and fostering connection.”
All profits from the event will be used to provide aid to the city of Oleksandriya, such as the funding of humanitarian aid. The Rotary Club of Bath is collecting funds on behalf of Friends of Oleksandriya, ensuring that all donations are used to purchase humanitarian aid for the city.
-ENDS-
Media contact
For more information, photos, and interview requests, please contact Zhenya Shkil at ZALShkil@outlook.com.
The Friends of Oleksandriya invite you to support the resilience of Ukrainian culture and contribute to a brighter future for Oleksandriya, while standing together with Ukraine.
NOTES
About The Friends of Oleksandriya
The Friends of Oleksandriya is a charitable association that promotes support and solidarity between Bath & North East Somerset and Oleksandriya. It believes that by working together, a difference can be made to people’s lives and a better world can be created. The team is made up of volunteers who are passionate about helping others and creating impact in the world.
Since its establishment, The Friends of Oleksandriya Charitable Association, in partnership with the Rotary Club of Bath, has managed to raise more than £100,000 to buy 13 7.5kW generators, a 70kW generator for the Children’s Hospital in Oleksandriya, and a 100kW generator for the Central Hospital of Oleksandriya. This provided crucial humanitarian aid when hundreds of Russian missiles caused severe damage to the infrastructure of Ukraine, and the people of Oleksandriya were left without light and warmth. The Friends of Oleksandriya believe that everyone deserves access to basic human needs such as food, shelter, education, and medical care. In December 2024, Oleksandriya received a 200kVA generator from the charity for one of their hospitals, as well as over one thousand Christmas presents for children of all ages.
About Natália Stojková
Natália Stojková is a London-based multidisciplinary artist and digital designer from Bratislava, Slovakia, and a recent graduate from the Royal College of Art, with an MA in Digital Direction.
Her work focuses on urgent global issues in Central and Eastern Europe, with an emphasis on female perspectives, challenging gender stereotypes, and exploring traditions and historical conventions. Before RCA, Natália studied Graphic Design at Kingston University, where she explored motion graphics, creative coding, and robotics. Natália is currently looking for job opportunities in London and specialises in art direction, graphic design, audio-reactive graphics, marketing communication, and stage & set design, offering a unique blend of interdisciplinary approaches.
natalia.shtoyko@gmail.com
@natalia_stojkova
