BRIDGWATER Arts Centre will host a Gala for Ukraine on Friday, December 2 featuring professional and amateur singers, dancers and musicians. 

The gala will raise money to support victims of the war in Ukraine and educate people about the country's history and culture.

Tickets cost £10 and can be brought from the arts centre or via its website.

Town council leader Brian Smedley has organised the concert with Galyna Tryndyuk of the the Bridgwater Ukrainian Community.

Brian said: “Bridgwater people have been tremendous in stepping up to the mark and bringing donations of warm winter clothing, medicines, sleeping bags and so on to our recent drop point at the town hall, and now the relief lorry has reached the front line at Kharkiv before the harsh winter has set in.

“We have temporarily halted collections until the next time we are asked to step up, and now we are focusing on financial and moral support.

“The town council funded the relief lorry along with a major donation from the fundraising activities of St Mary’s Church and a contribution from Bridgwater Together, mainly the food projects of Lesley Gates.

“We hope people will come to this Christmas event to show solidarity with the Ukrainians, to sample their culture and to enjoy some extremely talented performers. Flying flags is not enough.”

Bridgwater Mercury: The gala will be held at Bridgwater Arts Centre.The gala will be held at Bridgwater Arts Centre. (Image: Archive)

Galyna Tryndyuk, who has been heavily involved in Bridgwater's Ukrainian aid campaigns, said: “We will open the curtain of our many years of history and share with you what our parents and ancestors passed on to us: history, traditions, wishes, the desire for a happy life, for the implementation of which millions of Ukrainians are now fighting, each on their own front.

“Freedom lives in our hearts, flows in our veins and it has been like that for many years.

“Through the voices of our singers, melodies of our hearts, we will lead you to a better understanding of who we are and why we fight so hard for our nation.”

The show will start at 8pm, and the art centre bar will open from 7pm. There will be Ukrainian food, music, dance and film.

Tickets are available to buy from bridgwaterartscentre.cloudvenue.co.uk/ukrainiannight.