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Caerphilly’s Ukrainian community has once again come together to show their gratitude to the community for their warm welcome.

Around 100 people gathered at the council’s headquarters in Tredomen on Friday September 19 for an afternoon of Ukrainian music, poetry, and food.

The event was organised by Yuliia Bond, who has lived in Caerphilly since 2022 – the year Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. She welcomed residents, councillors, and politicians who came to stand alongside the refugee community.

Also present were members of the council’s Resettlement Support Team, representatives from local charities and host families.

Guests enjoyed a spread of traditional Ukrainian dishes, including varenyky (dumplings), borshch (beetroot soup), holubtsi (stuffed cabbage rolls), deruny (potato pancakes) and medovyk (honey cake).

Yuliia said: “Every dumpling, every cake, every dish is not just food – it is our way of saying thank you for standing with us.”

The event also saw the opening of an exhibition by talented artist and poet Olesia Miftahova, a Ukrainian living in Crosskeys.

The Garden of Memories: Growing Beyond exhibition, which was at Caerphilly Library over the summer, will run at Ty Penallta until October 31.

The event was attended by by-election candidates Richard Tunnicliffe, of Welsh Labour, and Cllr Lindsay Whittle, of Plaid Cymru. Also in attendance was council interim leader Jamie Pritchard, Plaid Cymru Senedd Members Delyth Jewell and Peredur Owen Griffiths, and former Caerphilly Labour MP Wayne David.

Jane Hutt MS, the Welsh Government’s minister for social justice, was also there on the day, which included a moving tribute to the late Caerphilly MS Hefin David – who was described as a “steadfast friend of the Ukrainian community”.

“He once called me a Welsh Ukrainian,” said Yuliia. “Just two simple words, but they healed something deep inside me.” 

Yuliia also thanked Dr David’s community engagement officer, Laura Green, who was in attendance, for “continuing his legacy of compassion and support”.

The event ended with applause for performers, speakers and volunteers, followed by a shared meal and the chance to explore the exhibition. Closing the event, Yuliia said: “In Ukrainian we say, ‘В єдності – сила’ – in unity there is strength.”

Ukrainian contributions to the community

The event also highlighted and celebrated the contributions Ukrainians have made to Caerphilly in recent years.

Since the Russian invasion of their country in February 2022, nearly seven million Ukrainians have been forced to leave Ukraine – with around a quarter of a million resettling in the UK.

Thousands of Ukrainians have come to Wales, with around 130 resettling in Caerphilly County Borough.

A number of them have gone on to work in numerous fields, including for the council and for a variety of charities, while others have set up their own businesses.

One example is Coffi Kava, a new cafe set up at Caerphilly Railway Station by sisters Hanna and Liudmyla Famtsova, together with their respective daughters Daria Spivaliuk and Polinia Bielonohova, and their host Siân Lewis.

Other contributions include the Ukrainian Gratitude Orchard, which was planted in Morgan Jones Park to leave a lasting gift to the people of Caerphilly as a thank you for the support shown.