THE Mayor of Trowbridge Denise Bates has opened the "Peace of Ukraine "art exhibition to raise cash for charities supporting refugees fleeing the war in Ukraine. 

The artworks featured in the exhibition at Trowbridge Town Hall are being sold through an online auction organised by Peace for Ukraine.

Various artists in the UK, Ukraine and Poland have donated up to 29 pieces of artwork for the online auction, which is being accompanied by an art competition for children aged 5-18 and art and craft workshops.

All money collected during the event, exhibition and artwork sale will be given to the charity running the hospital for Ukrainian refugees, Humanitarian Aid Centre in Szegini.

Cllr Bates said: “Welcome to this Art Exhibition. It is a real privilege for me to be invited here to open this event.

“Firstly, I would like to say well done to everyone who has contributed.  My thanks go to the young people who have entered the competition and to all of the artists who have kindly donated their work.

“A really big thank you must go to Agnieszka Michalik, Barbara Kras and the team who have worked so hard over the past few weeks to organise this art charity fundraiser and run the workshops over the Easter holidays, where the children have been involved in a number of activities - making badges and flags, sowing sunflowers, drawing and colouring, making felt and wool creations, to name just a few.

It has been truly heart-warming to see how our townsfolk have responded to the needs of those affected by this terrible war.

“People from the Polish Community have played a really important part in this response.

“It has meant some of the assistance provided by our town has been targeted where local people have contacts and know of specific needs.

“We have some great artwork here today, both the competition entries and the donated work.

“Please take your time to look round and enjoy the artwork on display, and I would kindly ask you to put in a bid for the online auction.”

All the funds raised during the event, exhibition and artwork sale are being sent to a humanitarian aid centre on the Polish-Ukraine border, which is running a field hospital for refugees who are injured, cold, without food and medication.

For more details click here.