Ukrainian Relief Committee in Great Britain [Український Допомоговий Комітет у Великій Британії] – a voluntary body established after the end of the Second World War to provide assistance to Ukrainian displaced persons and refugees.
The Committee was formed at a meeting in July 1945 by Ukrainians who had settled in Manchester before the war. The meeting was chaired by Bohdan Panchuk of the Canadian armed forces, who was actively involved in organising relief for Ukrainians in displaced persons camps in Germany and other European countries. When the Central Ukrainian Relief Bureau (CURB) was established in London in September 1945, the Manchester-based Committee became one of the relief organisations represented by CURB.
The initial members of the Committee's executive were Gregory Tarnawsky (chairman), Michael Kalyniuk-Cannon (secretary), Wolodymyr Czuczman (treasurer), Joseph Lesniowsky and O. Nykoriuk. Joseph Lesniowsky later became chairman. The Committee received donations, including clothing and other items, mainly from Ukrainians in the Polish Armed Forces based in the UK and from members of the Manchester Ukrainian community. It sent aid parcels to similar Ukrainian relief committees in continental Europe, for onward distribution, and to the camp for former soldiers of the Galicia Division near Rimini, Italy.
In October 1948 the Committee was wound up and its activities were taken over by the Association of Ukrainians in Great Britain.
Bibliography
P. P [P. Pihichyn], 'Z dialnosty Ukr. Dop. Komitetu u Vel. Brytanii', Nash Klych (London), 27 July 1946, p.4
Panchuk B., J. Lesniowsky, 'Do vidoma ukraintsiv u V. Brytanii ta ukrainskykh hromadskykh ustanov poza V. Brytanieiu', Ukrainska Dumka (London), 17 October 1948, p. 4