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Choirs celebrate Ukrainian festive traditions

BBC Six performers at the Ukrainian Christmas Service dressed in their national traditional costume during rehearsals. They have big floral head pieces, one woman is in a red dress and the other five have white or light coloured shirt-style tops with embroidered detailing. The woman in red is holding a tambourine.BBC
The Ukrainian Christmas celebration service will be held at Pattern Church in Swindon

Singers from across Swindon are joining displaced Ukrainians to celebrate Christmas through song.

Pattern Church in Swindon is hosting a Ukrainian Christmas celebration service with traditional Ukrainian carols on Sunday.

There will be performances from a specially-formed Ukrainian choir, and singers from the North Swindon and Highworth with Shrivenham Good Afternoon Choirs.

The event aims to bring a sense of "hope, union and family" to the community at Christmas, said co-organiser Anastasiia.

Two performers at the Ukrainian Christmas Service dressed in their national traditional costume during rehearsals. They have big floral head pieces, one woman is wearing black glasses and they have white or light coloured shirt-style tops with embroidered detailing.
The Ukrainian singers will wear traditional costume, with the different colours representing different regions

"Many of us come [to England] alone with children and we cannot have Christmas Eve like normal people, just with family, because we are alone here," said Anastasiia.

Ukrainian choir leader, Marina, is spending her third Christmas in England.

"For me it not just about the concert, it's more about family, relationship and joy [and having] fun together," she said.

"The message the choir is sending together is hope, we are family and when we are singing in Ukraine, it's not like a song, it's like 'God help our nation'... our message gives hope to people."

Singer Lesia said the colours of the traditional costume they wear have different meanings, which she described as "really powerful".

"In Ukraine, we have 24 regions and every region has their own style and history," she said.

She added she is "very, very pleased" to be able to wear them while singing in a choir, which has been a "dream since childhood".

English and Ukrainian performers at the Ukrainian Christmas Service. Ukrainian singers are dressed in their national traditional costume during rehearsals. They have big floral head pieces, and white or light coloured shirt-style tops with embroidered detailing. The English singers are dressed in black shirts and trousers with red or blue silk neck ties. They are all holding song books
The English singers love learning about Ukrainian culture, said choir leader Sarah Summers

Sarah Summers, choir leader for Good Afternoon Choir Organisation, said: "We first worked with Marina and the Ukrainian choir in the summer and this is such a lovely time to be bringing everyone together again."

She added that the singers "love" learning about the Ukrainian culture and forming relationships with the Ukrainian choir.

"We've had a great time and I know my choirs are very excited and I hope that comes across, because if we're enjoying it, the audience will enjoy it as well," she said.

The event is being held at 14:00 GMT at Pattern Church in Swindon on Sunday.

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