Oxford children's choir helps Ukrainian refugees 'not feel alone'

(From left to right) Choir members Abigeile Prenga, Katrin Diachenko, Alisa Klauning, Oleksandra Zverieva, and Nicole Ananchenko practice

Ukrainian refugee children have said the creation of a choir group in Oxford has helped them feel less alone.

Musician and fellow refugee Yevheniia Diachenko set up the group in January to bring Ukrainian children together.

Cherwell College Oxford hosts the one-hour weekly sessions for those who fled their homes country during the Russian invasion.

Mrs Diachenko said it had helped the children to "forget about the bad things and relax".

"When they sing, they show their emotions and sometimes they even cry, but in a good way," said the 41-year-old, who now lives in Oxford.

"They miss their families, they miss their dads who stay in Ukraine, but they feel support from each other and music helps to heal their souls."

Choir tutor and Ukrainian refugee Yevheniia Diachenko set up the choir in January

Mrs Diachenko had her own private vocal school in Kyiv, and said she wanted to continue teaching singing lessons when she arrived in Oxford in July last year with her nine-year-old daughter Katrin.

"We wanted the children to feel more at home, to speak with each other and play together," she said.

Nine-year-old Katrin joined the choir because her mum runs the class, she says it's been good to make new friends

Her daughter Katrin said the singing classes had helped her adjust to life in the UK after initially feeling "really sad".

She said: "I think art helped me when I came here and I thought that because my mummy is a singing teacher, I can do some singing too to help her.

"The choir is really nice, I have really good friends here and I like singing."

The choir group was formed in January and has performed at local events for the college

Katrin's friend, 10-year-old Alisa Klauning, said the choir has helped her feel she is "not alone".

"I feel quite safe in this community and I feel that I can talk with anybody about what's happened in Ukraine," she said.