Date published: 2025-11-19 | Category: Communities and volunteering, Focusing on prevention, Libraries
A magical children’s adventure book and a community radio show are two inspiring initiatives from the Ukrainian community being championed by Bath & North East Somerset Council.
The council's libraries are stocking the new children’s novella published by the Friends of Oleksandriya: Vitalii Petrenko and the Secret of the Roman Baths by author Claire Bramwell-Pearson, illustrated by Ukrainian artist Alexandra Dikaia.
Printed in Kyiv, the thrilling adventure has already been featured at the Bath Children’s Literature Festival and follows Vitalii, a young footballer who flees the war and discovers a legendary three-headed dragon in the Roman Baths.
The book launched at The Bath Royal Literary and Scientific Institution on November 8.
Through the latest round of its Ukraine Support Grant the council has supported The Ukrainian Hour, a weekly radio show on Somer Valley FM that empowers Ukrainian refugees by sharing stories, music, and cultural insights.
The grant of £2,500 will support media workshops for the Ukrainian community, new content creation and advanced broadcast training for presenter Vira Niskoromnykh who arrived in Bath after fleeing the invasion in 2022.
Councillor Kevin Guy, council Leader, said: “We are proud to continue supporting our Ukrainian friends in any way we can. Vira’s commitment to empowering the Ukrainian community, promoting integration, and amplifying diverse voices through local radio is exactly the kind of initiative we’re proud to support. We’re also delighted that visitors to our libraries will be able to immerse themselves in the tale of Vitalii, a story that reinforces Bath’s solidarity with Ukraine in an imaginative way.”
Zhenya Shkil, founder and trustee of The Friends of Oleksandriya, said: “What began two years ago as a small Ukrainian book project to help the children of Oleksandriya learn English has blossomed into something truly special. Today, this beautiful story "Vitalii Petrenko and the Secret of the Roman Baths" is inspiring kindness and friendship among children in both Ukraine and the UK. It has quickly become a favourite for many young readers across Bath and North East Somerset. We are overjoyed that it will soon be available in local libraries, where it can continue to nurture compassion, understanding, and hope in future generations - helping build a happier, kinder, and more peaceful world.”
Dom Chambers, Somer Valley FM’s founder and executive director, said: “Vira Niskoromnykh, our Vira if you like, is an amazing person who has created a community through community radio. She talks with that community every week, and in so doing, is talking to the wider communities in the South West. Not only does she give a voice and a welcome to those people displaced by war who come to be in this country, but through an extraordinary diversity of content and conversations gives us all an understanding of the richness and beauty of Ukrainian culture and the value it brings to us all.”
Find more details on this year’s Ukraine Support Fund funding decision
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