Ukrainian families living in Dorset are preparing to share their culture in a series of live performances.
Grains of Hope, a new Ukrainian group made up of families living in the county, will be performing three shows this summer at two Dorset international festivals.
The group has been meeting in Dorchester, led by Oksana Papeta, an experienced arts therapist and director from Kyiv, and has also been supported, and mentored by AsOne theatre company’s artistic director, Jane McKell.
Over the past three weeks, the founding Grains of Hope Ukrainian families have been preparing their performances which will premiere a new song written by fellow Ukrainian, Slavio and Iryna Pole.
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The group will also share other traditional Ukrainian songs, children’s singing games, and a poem called Rucksack.
A spokesperson for the event said: "The new song ’ Strength of Will’, and the poem, ‘Rucksack’, were both inspired by stories gathered during an AsOne theatre company story sharing project, `We Came from Ukraine' which was completed last autumn 2023 and funded by the Dorset Community Foundation, and both Weymouth, and Dorchester Councils.
"A book of the project’s mission, practice, and gathered family stories of fleeing the ongoing Russian invasion will be on sale at all the events this summer that Grains of Hope are to perform at."
AsOne theatre company was awarded funding through both the Dorset Community Foundation Welcome fund, and Dorchester Town Council for Grains of Hope.
The mission is to enable Ukrainian families to meet up with each other, integrate with the Dorset communities whilst sharing their culture as widely as they can.
Some of the children involved are toddlers and this is a way of them experiencing their own culture with their older siblings, and mothers.
Most Ukrainian fathers remain in Ukraine either maintaining essential services or fighting on the front line.
Grains of Hope is a way to remain positive, whilst sharing their Homeland culture with the community that has provided them with safety, shelter, and love at this difficult time.
The group will first be performing at the One World Day festival in Dorchester Borough Gardens on Saturday, August 10 from 11am until 4 pm.
A second performance in the Borough Gardens is then scheduled for Saturday, August 24 for the Ukrainian Independence Day celebrations.
A final performance will then take place at the Small World International Festival at the Bridport Community Orchard) on Saturday, September 14.
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