March in solidarity with Ukrainians held in Reading

Hundreds of Ukrainians and members of the public in Reading marched through the streets on Saturday, February 25, to sombrely mark the second anniversary of the war.

The march was organised by Reading Ukrainian Community Centre, and ended in a rally and choir songs at Forbury Gardens.

The event was attended by Reading councillors, cllr Tony Page (Labour, Abbey) the mayor, and Matt Rodda, the Labour MP for Reading East.

Mick Polleck from the community centre said: “It’s important for people here to know that they are not alone.

“There was a lot of people who have just came over from Ukraine, they don’t call themselves refugees because they are just visiting, they are going to go back because we need to rebuild the country given half a chance.”

READ MORE: The Tilehurst group helping to send vital supplies to Ukraine as war reaches second anniversary

In a speech, Mr Rodda spoke of his “wholehearted support for Ukraine” and he reflected on the appalling attack on the country and the resilience of the Ukrainian people.

He also thanked residents, the council and local groups for helping support Ukrainians who are living in our area and he paid tribute to the work of the community centre.

The full-scale invasion of Ukraine by the Putin regime of Russia began on February 24, 2022.

Reading Chronicle | Town Centre