As the year ended, here’s a look at how we celebrated the festive season:

Volunteers and trustees gathered at Vicars Hall on South Street to enjoy mulled wine, cider, and mince pies. The cosy setting provided a perfect backdrop for our community to unwind and reflect on the past year together. See the photos of the event at the bottom of this post.

Another highlight was the (now annual!) Volya Christmas Celebration at St Pauls, where the choir performed traditional Ukrainian Christmas songs and hosted a dance workshop. The lively event also featured Ukrainian crafts for sale and seasonal refreshments, offering a vibrant experience for all attendees.

Our Christmas party on Christmas ‘Eve-Eve’ was a festive affair filled with traditional food and carols. John Newman brought his keyboard and led the singing, with both children and adults participating, some of whom were experiencing these carols for the first time.

The festive spirit continued into 2025 with our New Year’s celebration on January 6th. The community gathered again to share a feast, with the highlight being a special performance of an unaccompanied song from Iran, beautifully sung by one of the beneficiaries. The evening concluded with a lively rendition of Auld Lang Syne, with John providing piano accompaniment and everyone else singing along, ensuring a memorable start to the new year.