С4U Ladies’ Choir Honours Operation Interflex Warriors on Independence Day
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24th August, on the 34th Independence Day of Ukraine, our women’s choir, the C4U Ladies’ Choir had the great honour of visiting our Ukrainian troops again. These brave Ukrainian men and women warriors are undergoing training in the UK as part of Operation Interflex.
This special concert was a celebration of British and Ukrainian cultures. The leading UK ensemble, Eynsford Concert Band, under the direction of recently retired Lieutenant Colonel Mike Smith, and the C4U Ladies’ choir, conducted by Joanna Chapman, performed a varied programme of their respective repertoires. We sang along in Ukrainian and English to the popular songs and pieces.
From Canterbury for Ukraine, Interim Chair Annette King, trustees Brian Bennett, Giles Polglase, Hanna Hrekova trustee and Councillor Connie Nolan, who supported the choir during the performance, along with C4U trustee and C4U Ladies’ Choir chair Olena Nizalova.
The occasion was filled with unity, gratitude and inspiration, and we hope some respite from the serious business of training and preparation.
For us Ukrainians, this is not just a concert — it is a sacred opportunity to support those who defend our homeland. Many of us have brothers, sons, fathers, and husbands who are currently serving in the ranks of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, as well as relatives who continue to live in Ukraine. Therefore, it is a great honour and true blessing for us to have the chance to support our soldiers here in the UK.
Brian Bennett, who liaised and coordinated the event with Interflex, is also a member of the Eynsford Concert Band:
“It was an honour to have worked alongside INTERFLEX in delivering an event that touched so many hearts, hopefully we brought a little respite and comfort to these incredibly brave men and women during this terrible war.”
The concert prompted genuine emotions from our defenders. We received great applause, a standing ovation and wonderful personal feedback. Many recorded the performance on their phones, some could not hold back tears during soulful songs. Some soldiers stood up and shone their phone torches, creating an atmosphere of unity and support.
Olena Nizalova remarked:
“On the very day of our performance, my husband, Denys Nizalov, was taking his oath of allegiance to the Ukrainian people, at a similar camp in another country. Therefore, singing for our servicemen today held particular significance for me. Denys and I founded Canterbury for Ukraine together in March 2022, and he developed the organisation as Chairman for three years. I am certain that all those whose lives he touched will remember his contribution to building our community. And I shall pray for his safe return with victory.”
The concert attracted the attention of numerous journalists and representatives from various British media outlets, including BBC News, Sky News, ITV News whilst Ukrainian media (Pryamyi, 5 Channel) also showed keen interest and support for those defending Ukraine’s sovereignty and showing continued solidarity with Ukraine.
We thank our defenders, the Interflex international training collaboration and the British Army for making this happen and for their warm welcome. We will cherish the memory of this event and the moments of comfort of home it brought and hope that they will stay with all our troops too.
Interim Chair Annette King added:
‘’This was a wonderful event and a real privilege to be able to experience the Ukrainian Independence Day with those on the journey to defend the continued independence of Ukraine. It meant a lot to all of us. The performances were stunning and the audience was fantastic. Thank you to all who helped organising this. Thank you to the Ukrainian troops for the welcome – our prayers and best wishes are with you always!”
We are profoundly grateful to everyone who made this day possible and would like to express our deep respect for our defenders. They are true heroes to us, and we are proud to have had the opportunity to show our support.
Thank you to all our supporters! 
Operation Interflex — an international programme led by the UK, launched in July 2022 to train Ukrainian military personnel. It includes 13 partner nations, including Australia, Canada, Denmark, Finland, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Albania, Estonia, Kosovo, Lithuania, Romania, and Latvia. The programme covers basic training, leadership courses, and specialised training tailored to the needs of Ukrainian troops. As of June 2025, over 56,000 Ukrainian military personnel have trained under Operation Interflex.
