The Sunflower Series

From the Blackwater Ukrainian Solidarity Group

PART SEVEN

This Saturday morning (May 28th) a special ‘Picnic in the Park’ event will take place in the town park in Fermoy to welcome Ukrainians living locally to the area and share a few hours of positivity, fun and colour with the entire community.

Organised by members of the Fermoy Welcome Centre and with support from Gifts4U in Fermoy, Bloco Daoine, Herlihy’s Centra, Fermoy Community Health Project and others, this is a family event on which, we hope, the sun will shine (the forecast is very positive at the time of writing!).

COMMUNITY INVITE

We are inviting the entire community to come along for what is likely to be a lovely few hours of local friendship and will provide an opportunity for Ukrainian people in Fermoy, and others who have moved to the area in recent times, to come and meet others.

People are asked to bring a blanket, a picnic basket and a smile as we join together.

We are so fortunate and grateful to the always amazing Fermoy Concert Band and Bloco Daoine, a superb Samba drumming group who will work with children on the day, for providing the perfect backing track.

Our picnic will get underway at 11am and a special Samba drumming workshop will begin at that time, so don’t be late!

Then at 11.45am the Fermoy Concert Band will fill the park with their wonderful melodies with face-painting for children (and perhaps some adults) throughout. We have a little army of bakers preparing some treats for the morning too.

Events such as these are important positive distractions for people who have suffered, and continue to suffer, so much.

For so many, loved ones remain in Ukraine. Many caught up in this mindless conflict which we all hope ends soon. Each day they wait for news.

In recent days we’ve heard that more Ukrainian people will be moving to Fermoy and we will continue to arrange events which can bring people together, while at the same time providing practical supports and information when and where needed.

We continue to receive offers of toys and clothes, but at this point the Blackwater Ukrainian Solidarity Group does not have a facility to receive these.

Our recommendation would be to wait until there is a clear need and then your very kind of donations can reach those who most need those items.

And the Free Children’s Art Classes continue to run on Saturdays between 2pm and 3.30pm at the Richmond Revival in Fermoy. We’ve been able to welcome the help of some Ukrainian volunteers who have provided translation so that Ukrainian children have been able to take part, fully understanding the instructions and advice being given.