Tiny chapel near Lockerbie offers Ukraine a helping hand

The small chapel near Lockerbie is still regularly used for services

More than 70 years ago, an unassuming corrugated iron hut in southern Scotland was transformed into a chapel by Ukrainian prisoners of war.

Now it is providing a focal point for those in the local community who want to help those caught up in the country's current conflict.

The story of the Hallmuir Chapel, near Lockerbie, dates back to 1947.

That was when Ukrainian prisoners of war arrived in Glasgow, having previously been interned in Italy after World War Two.

More than 400 people ended up at the camp in southern Scotland and were sent to work on local farms or forestry in the area.

The corrugated iron hut was converted into a chapel by Ukrainian prisoners of war

They were offered the iron hut to use as a chapel, and it has been decorated and adorned over the years.

It is now a grade B listed building and still regularly hosts church services.

Many of the prisoners of war at the camp chose to remain in Scotland rather than return to their homeland, including Peter Kormylo's father.

"This chapel accepted 465 Ukrainian soldiers who had surrendered to the British and were put in a prison camp in Italy and then finally brought here to the United Kingdom," he said.

"These men started life as prisoners of war, were immediately transferred into civic status and had a three-year contract to work in local fields and forests."

Clothing and medicines can be left at the site over the next two weekends

Some went to central Scotland to work in the mines and then, in the early 1950s, they were released.

"Those who had married locally like my dad stayed in the area and the rest either went to England for work or they emigrated to America and Canada," said Mr Kormylo.

"But certainly from 1947 to 1954, Dumfries and Galloway had its fair share of Ukrainians who couldn't go home because they refused to be repatriated after the war and that's why they stayed here."

He said they would have been dismayed by the "sad situation" in the country today.

Peter Kormylo has been keeping in contact with friends and family in Ukraine

"These men would never have imagined that the chapel would survive long enough to witness this last few days' events," he said.

"So, in a way, I'm pleased that my dad's generation have mostly passed on.

"I think my dad would have mixed emotions - he would be heartbroken about this, but he'd also be proud of the defiance that is being shown by his family."

Mr Kormylo is helping to co-ordinate efforts to gather aid at the chapel.

It is one of a number of collection points for humanitarian aid around the country and will be open on 5 and 6 March and 12 and 13 March for donations.

The site has become a focal point for gathering humanitarian aid

It will gather clothes and medicines to provide humanitarian aid during the conflict.

"The most important thing is to be able to arm these people against the cold, and provide medicines - so that is where we are wanting to concentrate our appeal," said Mr Kormylo.

"It's not so much food because the people that I'm speaking to - relatives of mine - are saying that food is less of a priority than keeping warm."

Everything gathered at the site near Lockerbie will be sent to Edinburgh before being taken to Ukraine.

In the process, it will continue the area's links to the country which began three quarters of a century ago.