A fundraising concert organised by Cambridge for Europe and held in St. Giles’ Church Friday 23 October raised £1,025.50 for Cambridge4Ukraine, a voluntary group set up by Ukrainians in the Cambridge area to support Ukraine and its people in the aftermath of the Russian invasion.
More than 130 people attended the concert, which features lively sets by local groups Mulberry Klezmer and Cambridge Ukebox, as well as songs by local folk musicians Les Rey, Jeremy Harmer & Dragan Cvejic.
Cambridge for Europe committee member Amanda Hawkes, who led the planning and organisation of the concert, said:
‘We were blown away by the musician’s offering to perform for free and by the generosity of the audience on the night, which has enabled us to donate over £1,000 to Cambridge4Ukraine.
We called it a ‘Concert for Ukraine’, but we know that the real story here is what Ukraine is doing for us; protecting Europe’s values of democracy, rights and peace against Putin’s Russian aggressor. That cause brought everyone together.’
Anatolii Pavlovskyi of Cambridge4Ukraine commented
“In Cambridge4Ukraine we would like to do whatever we can and a little more to help Ukrainians who are coming to Cambridgeshire to find a safe place here. We are working closely with the City and County Council and with different charities to find the best way to help with housing, employment, and English language courses. Also, we are trying to help people in Ukraine by fundraising money for ambulances, medical supplies, and different restoration projects.
We are happy to have such great friends as Cambridge4Europe who organized such a wonderful concert to fundraise money for us. Such emotional support is really needed for all of us these days.
As I mentioned in my speech at the concert, housing is the main problem at the moment as we are reaching a 6-month term for many host families and we are actively looking for new hosts. Please keep in touch with our local city council or with Cambridge4Ukraine if you would like to become a host and accommodate a Ukrainian family in your house. Also we would like to encourage landlords to let apartments for Ukrainian families, despite the fact they do not have renting history in the UK. You can find contact details on our website.”
Paul Browne, Chair of Cambridge for Europe, said:
“We’d like to thank St Giles’ Church for hosting this concert, and all the members of Cambridge for Europe, Cambridge4Ukraine and Mums4Ukraine who helped organise and run the concert and catering on the evening. We’re particularly grateful to Mulberry Klezmer, Cambridge Ukebox, Les Rey, Jeremy Harmer & Dragan Cvejic for entertaining us so well on the night, and making it such a successful event.
Most of all we’d like to thank everyone who attended the concert and helped us to raise more than £1,000 to support the people of Ukraine, and we hope they enjoyed the evening as much as we did. In difficult times it’s good to remember the good things that bring us together, and music does just that.
In recent weeks we’ve all seen the encouraging news that Ukraine has liberated large areas from Russian occupation, but the invasion continues to cause immense suffering for the Ukrainian people. As the people of Ukraine fight so courageously to defend their freedom, democracy and place in an open and united Europe we will stand with them.”
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