FARNHAM folk of all ages – including two Ukrainian men, one of whom has family in Kharkiv where some of the hardest fighting has taken place this week – marched through the town in solidarity with Ukraine on Sunday.

Members of the newly-formed ‘Farnham Stands with Ukraine’ Facebook group met at Gostrey Meadow before parading to Waitrose in Lion & Lamb Yard, chanting “We support Ukraine”.

Passing motorists honked their horns in support, with others joining the march en route. The next town-centre march is set to depart Gostrey Meadow at 2pm today (Saturday).

Joining the march, Oleksiy Kylmenko said both his mum and his brother were still in Kharkiv and “can hear explosions and gunfire all the time”.

“It’s crazy,” he added, “and the real shame is the Russian and Ukrainian people are going to be enemies for a long time to come. A lot of people in Ukraine have relatives in Russia – I do – but suddenly we are having to choose.”

Svyatoslav Nod, who also joined Sunday’s march, said: “Nobody wants this war – we don’t want to see youngsters coming from Russia and dying. What for?

“Many people in Ukraine speak Russian – we have always lived together. We don’t want this war, nobody wants it, and it is a shame to see so many guys being killed.

“There are lots of intelligent people in Russia who we hope will see sense.”

Mr Nod added gestures such as the march really helped make Ukrainian people in the UK feel “supported and loved”, and he hoped to again attend this Saturday’s event (March 5).

A Vigil for Ukraine was also set to be held at the Gostrey Meadow bandstand at 6pm on Wednesday (March 2).

The vigil was organised by Farnham Churches Together to give the people of Farnham an opportunity to “stand in solidarity with the people and country of Ukraine”.

Farnham Help for Refugees will hold its next aid collection on Friday, March 11, from 2.30pm to 6.30pm at St George’s Church, Badshot Lea – to be distributed to refugees in Serbia, Bosnia and Greece.

For those wishing to specifically support refugees fleeing Ukraine, the group says the main aid required is financial, “to enable provision of food and emergency equipment”.

If you wish to help financially, visit https://give.agape.org.uk/ukraine/

Cash donations will also be welcomed at Farnham Help for Refugees’ aid collection at St George’s on March 11. Find a list of desired items on the group’s Facebook page.