Stirling sent a strong message of hope for Ukraine as refugees from the country joined locals on a peaceful march through the city on Wednesday night.
The march was organised by Stirling University student Helen Padberg, who moved to Scotland from Ukraine 14 years ago and has been involved in the effort to help welcome those fleeing the conflict - including offering her home as shelter for a mother and daughter.
It was organised to coincide both with the country’s independence day and also marked six months since the beginning of the war, which has led to Ukrainians being forced to escape to countries all over Europe, including a healthy contingent making their temporary home in Stirling.
On the poignant anniversary, Ukrainian refugees living in the city marched from Stirling Castle to the city centre - helped along the way by Scots eager to show their support.
Helen is hosting her friend, 31-year-old Anya and her 14-year-old daughter Ella, with both now having secured work and schooling respectively - all while Anya’s husband and other family members stay behind in Ukraine.
Helen told the Observer: “We had quite a lot of the Ukrainian community and some Scottish people were also supporting us.
“There are a lot of refugees living in the Stirling area and it’s a tragic situation for all of us. I’m hosting my friend right now and I didn’t recognise her for the first few months due to the pain of what she had experienced.
“The people coming over have experienced the full force of the war and don’t maybe socialise as much as they would do, so I wanted to do something to support them and make them feel united.
“The march was also to remind people that the war isn’t far away and that nobody knows what’s going to happen so we need to keep supporting the Ukrainian people living here because the support so far has been amazing.”
In addition to the march, a social event has also been organised for Saturday night at the Holy Trinity Church Hall in Stirling aiming to bring people together once again.
It all gets underway at the church in Albert Place at 6pm.
