Swindon has taken a meaningful step towards forming an official twinning link with a town in Ukraine, following powerful personal accounts shared at a recent meeting of Swindon Borough Council’s Town Twinning Committee.
Councillors heard from four members of Swindon Welcomes Ukraine, the volunteer group that has supported hundreds of Ukrainians who settled in the town after the full-scale invasion in 2022.
Viktoriia Zavalniuk, Maryna Petryk, Anastasiia Banatska and Yana Shatokha spoke openly about their experiences of arriving in Swindon, rebuilding their lives and developing the grassroots projects that now underpin a vibrant community network.
The representatives described how English lessons, cultural events, social meet-ups and individual help have grown into a structured support system — one shaped by necessity but strengthened by local goodwill.
Reflecting on her early days in the town, Maryna Petryk told councillors:
“When I arrived here, I did not feel alone any more. Swindon made space for us.”
Viktoriia Zavalniuk spoke about finding security in an unfamiliar place:
“We arrived with uncertainty, but we found people who helped us rebuild our confidence and our lives.”
For Anastasiia Banatska, the community’s strength came from determination:
“We created a community because there was no other choice. Now it feels strong, organised and full of hope.”
And Yana Shatokha highlighted the healing role of culture:
“Sharing our traditions and our stories has helped us feel human again. A twinning link would deepen that connection.”
More than five hundred Ukrainians are now settled in Swindon, and the committee was told that a formal partnership would recognise both their contribution and their ongoing links with home.
Two possible partner towns have been proposed: Rivne and Kropyvnytskyi.
Rivne, a regional centre in western Ukraine, shares a similar population size with Swindon and has a growing service-led economy alongside an active cultural scene.
Kropyvnytskyi, in central Ukraine, is known for its theatre heritage, agricultural innovation and modernising civic infrastructure. Councillor Jake Chandler noted he had previously visited the town and spoke positively of it, though without expressing a preference.
Deputy Mayor Cllr Neil Hopkins said the stories heard during the meeting made the timing feel especially significant:
“It feels like the right moment to do this. We have a large community here already, they are contributing to the life of the town and they are asking us to build something lasting. A twinning partnership would be a positive step forward.”
A working group will now look more closely at both Ukrainian towns before making a recommendation to Cabinet. Councillors will then decide whether to proceed with a full twinning arrangement or pursue a friendship and co-operation agreement instead.
Swindon already maintains links with Salzgitter in Germany and Ocotal in Nicaragua, as well as a friendship and co-operation agreement with the Polish city of Toruń. A Ukrainian partnership would reflect the town’s changing communities and its growing international outlook.
