Barnsley Town Hall lit blue and yellow as cross-party leaders show solidarity with Ukraine

Barnsley joined civic buildings around the world in lighting up in the colours of the Ukrainian flag, including Number 10, The Colosseum, and Paris City Hall.

Party leaders in Barnsley set politics aside to make a joint statement in support of the people of Ukraine, after Russia launched an attack on the country last week.

In a joint statement, Councillor Sir Steve Houghton CBE, leader of Barnsley Council, Councillor Hannah Kitching, leader of the Liberal Democrats and Councillor John Wilson, leader of the Conservative Group, said they are “deeply saddened” by the news.

“We’re deeply saddened by what’s happening in Ukraine. Our sympathy goes out to the people of Ukraine, and our thoughts are with the community representatives in Horlivka with whom we have developed twinning links.

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“It’s the innocent men, women and children who are not involved in armed forces or armed conflict, who will be the biggest victims of everything that is happening.

“So we send all our thoughts and hope to the people of Ukraine, that they come through this incredibly difficult time.

“We trust the Western allies can find ways and means of freeing the people of Ukraine from this oppression and that our friends and colleagues in Horlivka can once again enjoy the freedom that they deserve, away from tyranny and terror.

“It is an incredibly difficult time, and anything that we think is difficult in this country pales into insignificance when you see what the people of Ukraine are now having to endure.

“Barnsley has been twinned with Horlivka, a large mining town in eastern Ukraine since 1987. Barnsley’s friendship with Horlivka, in the Donetsk city region, goes back to May 1956, when a delegation of miners from Yorkshire stayed in the town during a study tour of the Soviet Union.

“We’re lighting up our Town Hall in the colours of Ukraine this evening to show the people of Ukraine we can be a light in their darkness.

“People of Ukraine need as much help as they can get and you can show your support by donating to UNICEF at unicef.org/ukraine/en/donate-now or any other charity carrying out humanitarian efforts.”