The Savile Club Benefit Concert for Ukraine

In the presence of Mr Eduard Fesko, Deputy Head of Mission from Ukraine to the Court of St James.

Please join us at this evening to raise money by celebrating the people and culture of Ukraine, at a time when their existence is in grave danger. We are delighted to welcome three representatives of Ukrainian music to entertain us before we enjoy a feast of Ukrainian food from Chef Michael James.

The evening will begin with a few words from Mr Fesko before pianist Vitaly Pisarenko, winner of the 2008 Liszt Competition and third prize winner at the 2015 Leeds, plays music by Prokofiev, who was Ukrainian by birth, and Valentin Silvestrov. We will then hear from Bishop Kenneth Nowakowski of the Ukrainian Catholic Cathedral on Duke Street before their vocal quartet Vivo performs sacred music. David Harrington of Re:act UK, our partner charity to which all proceeds of the evening will be donated without the club taking anything for costs, will give a presentation on their work since the war began before the evening concludes with music by the bandura trio Zhayvir, who will be in national dress and perform upon traditional instruments.

RE:ACT Disaster Response provides humanitarian action for those affected by conflict in Ukraine. When disasters strike, they deploy to ensure the assistance reaches the most vulnerable and remote communities as fast as possible.

Their volunteer-centred operations keep costs to a minimum. Seventy pence of every pound donated to REACT goes directly to funding humanitarian action. 

One year into the conflict, there are an estimated 5.4 million displaced civilians

and 8 million seeking refuge in other parts of Europe. In response to these challenges, REACT have deployed volunteers to assist with activities like distributing mixed aid, collecting and transporting donated medical equipment, sending generators to medical centres, providing family food packs and funding hot meals

for displaced people.

Since 25 February our Ukrainian partners, funded by REACT, have delivered over 30,000 meals to towns to the South East of Kharkiv (Kup’yans’k and Borova) – areas that are extremely close to the main contact line with the Russians.

Chef will be preparing special Ukrainian themed menu to include, Red Borscht with Pampushky,

Selection of Varenyky, Chicken Kyiv and a classic Ukrainian desert.