V4UUK Aid Map

As a response to the atrocious Russian-Ukrainian war, in March 2022 I established Voice for Ukraine UK (V4UUK), (previously Voice of Ukraine UK). The main aims of V4UUK were and still are, to help replenish destroyed music schools with instruments, help fund music therapy sessions for the children affected by the ongoing tragedy and also to promote Ukrainian music and composers to a wide audience.

In December of that year we filmed music schools in Borodyanka; Makariv; a children’s orphanage in Vorzel and also music therapy sessions led by Kateryna Gavrylova in Poltava.

The documentary “Unbreakable Spirit” was shown during the Voice for Ukraine UK fundraising concert held at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in London in January 2023. As a result, over £6000 was raised and many unused musical instruments were donated to the cause.

On the 31st of March I personally drove to Ukraine (along with my sister) to deliver our very first musical humanitarian aid to those in need on a grand scale after making a deal with a Ukrainian man who I understood deals with delivering cars needed by the Ukrainian military.

To get from London to Kyiv took me over 50 hours, without proper sleep or food for two nights and almost three days.

The exhausting drive across Europe was quite an experience and one I would not wish upon anybody.

I would like to warn those reading this report that there are some people out there who are using the war in Ukraine as a means for personal gain. They deceive decent people by giving them false information, such as telling them that they are driving cars for the Ukrainian Army, when in fact, they get cheap/donated vehicles and sell them in Ukraine. In order to do so, these people use naïve drivers to drive those cars for free.

Foolishly, I agreed with the person who does such business, without knowing what I was getting into.  We had agreed I would deliver his car straight to Lviv and in return he would allow me to use that car to bring all the instruments to Ukraine. Unfortunately, it was not the case. In Germany, I was told that I would not be able to transport all the instruments in their car and that I need to find some different transport to do so.  As a result, he physically removed all the instruments from the car and left them on the roadside by the Polish border in the middle of the night. Unfortunately, no one was willing to help us and take our “luggage” across into Ukrainian territory.

Thankfully, my friend who I was going to meet in Lviv, drove 550 miles straight to the border. My sister had to go by foot to get the car whilst I was trying to save all the instruments from the rain, loading them into the shopping trolley (thank God there was a shop nearby) and pushing them under the roof. This ordeal took us all night.

We got to Kyiv on Sunday 2nd of April at 11pm utterly exhausted.

The next day, I travelled to Borodyanka, Makariv and Vorzel. I cannot tell enough how beautiful these people are. Staff and children met us with such joy, gratitude and happiness that it really touched my heart. Students from Borodyanka organised a mini concert and all the teachers from Makariv music school met us with open arms and kindness.

I was extremely happy to see smiles on their innocent faces. At that moment, I forgot how tiring and awful my trip was, it did not matter, and if I had to I would travel for them again.

During my brief visit to Poltava, I met Olla, a widow who helps other widows and children of killed soldiers by providing them with the art therapy sessions. Thankfully to raised funds we were able to purchase five boxes of canvases and two boxes of paints which I brought to her.

After a couple days of rest I travelled to Kharkiv and Donetsk region to meet children whose lives have been changed forever. In Kharkiv I met music teachers at the Music College of Lyatoshinsky. They showed me all the distruction and damage that their building suffered as a result of the Russian rocket landing at the back of their college.

On behalf of Voice for Ukraine UK I donated 12 violins and viola to two music schools (no.2 and no.5). One of the violins was presented to Masha, a Ukrainian teenager who spent six months in a cellar hiding from rockets and shelling.

On the way from Kharkiv to Donetsk region the scenery changed dramatically. The beautiful, hilly landscape was scarred with the burnt trees, razed to the ground villages, fields were black, covered with holes from the recent explosions. Destroyed military machinery, civilian cars and buses were left on the side of the road. Whilst driving we could see in the distance a black smoke rising into the sky which meant only one thing - it was a rocket hit. It felt like being in some sort of a dystopian film set… seeing what the Russians are doing to my country made me physically sick.

We were heading to a small village called Chrystyshiv, to visit local children who stayed in the area. They hardly had any contact with the outside world which is why it was so important for us to come to this place and at least try to bring to them some hope and happiness incorporating the arts of music and dance.

As we arrived, the children’s little faces lit up with happiness when they saw us coming with all the instruments. Katya Gavrylova, musician, singer and pianist and also my ‘right hand’ in Ukraine, conducted a music therapy session and Elya Lan' (Katya’s friend), a talented dancer, led a dance routine that the kids enjoyed doing very much.

After saying our “goodbyes” we took off to get to Svyatohirs’k before dark.

Svyatohirs’k, (meaning the Holy Mountain), is one of the holiest places in Ukraine. An Orthodox monastery whose first mention dates from 1526 is situated right on the top of the hill. 

Early in the morning we visited this holy place to meet Dymytriy, a boy who lives with his siblings and parents in the monastery. Dymitriy is a shy, talented teenager who needed a full size violin in order to carry on studying this instrument.

He performed a short tune on his new violin that I presented to him right outside of Lavra. 

Before the war, Svyatohirs’k was famous for its incredible natural beauty, attracting numerous tourists every year. Now this place is completely destroyed. Many civilians were evacuated. It was hard to imagine that just last year this town was thriving with life.

Meeting the children of Svyatohirs’k was a unique experience. They were engaged in all the activities, thanking us afterwards for our visit. 

The Voice for Ukraine UK is currently able to finance these activities for the next three months only. 

In conclusion, I would like to thank EVERYONE who supported, contributed and helped in any way to this cause. I also want to give my sincere and special ‘thank you’ to four unique and unbelievable people who I met and spent a few days on this trip. Valeria Kostushko for arranging the trip, Katya Gavrylova for her magical music therapy sessions, Elya Lan' for her beautiful dance therapy and our wonderful driver Ivan Gladunetz who had such a great knowledge about the history of Svyatohirs’k, its architecture and people.

This visit showed me how important our work is. Giving children a sense of “normality” even for a short space of time is precious. I will do everything possible in order for ‘Voice for Ukraine UK’ to grow and help as many children in Ukraine as possible. 

Now back in England I find myself constantly thinking about people I met and places I visited. My mind and heart is with those who live and fight this war. I look around and think how lucky all these people are who have never experienced the devastating effects of war.

This trip made me mentally and physically exhausted, but I will continue this pioneering and unique mission for as long as necessary.

If you would like to be involved and help us in any way, please get in touch. We urgently need sponsors who could support our work.

With hope, love and gratitude,

Iryna Gould

This week I went to meet the Leyton Orient Football Club's  Supporters' Liaison Officer Keren Harrison and her husband Mark. 

On behalf of the Supporters Club, they graciously donated the sum £500 towards the “Voice for Ukraine Uk” project, asking me to be their ‘voice’ and ambassador in the quest to help the children of Ukraine rebuild their lives through the medium of music.

Soon, I will personally be travelling as a volunteer to different regions in Ukraine, helping some of those in need as they attempt to start their journey back to 'normality'.

A full report of my trip and the use of donated money will be published at the end of August.

Photo: With Keren Harrison-Leyton Orient FC Supporters' Liaison Officer.