Great North Run: Refugees put best foot forward to thank church

A group of Ukrainian volunteers are putting their best feet forward by taking part in the Great North Run to say thank you to The Salvation Army, which helped them to rebuild their lives after they fled the war in Ukraine. 

Many of the runners came to the North East as refugees and now work or volunteer with The Salvation Army in Sunderland Monkwearmouth, having been offered practical and emotional support. They fundraise for the church and charity in both the UK and in Ukraine. 

Maryna Rahulina, Daria Kostiuchenko, Marharyta ‘Margo’ Marchenko, Inna Prokhorenko, Iryna Tsukanova and Peter Holmes have all been training hard for the 13.1 mile run, which takes place on 13 September starting in Newcastle and finishing in South Shields, where The Salvation Army will have its response vehicle serving sandwiches and hot drinks. 

Maryna, who is now a family and children’s worker with the church and charity, said: “I'm proud to be running with The Salvation Army and with our Ukrainian community. We are running for peace, for hope and to remind people that the war in Ukraine is still affecting many families.

“We are incredibly grateful to The Salvation Army and the local community for welcoming us, supporting us and helping us rebuild our lives in UK. This is one way of saying thank you and showing that kindness and unity can make a real difference.” 

Daria is running the Great North Run for the third time. Recalling the first time she took part, just shortly after her husband died of an illness back home in Ukraine in 2024, she said: “I was in shock, I’d been in Ukraine for his funeral and I could only think about getting back to my children and to run. I got through it on adrenalin. I don't know how I did it, but the atmosphere was amazing, I felt like I was running for my life. It was very emotional, and the last moments were very tough. 

“The reason I am doing it is because I want to help The Salvation Army whenever I can because it’s not only supporting their work, but all of the people who are in need. They’ve provided us with a place of meetings, of learning, of hosting Ukrainian events and of presents for our children for Christmas and lots more. They have helped keep us alive psychologically. It was very hard to come here and start a new life, but there are lots of people in the UK who are so helpful and supportive and kind. They’ve helped us believe that life is beautiful and that life does not only contain war and suffering.”  

Margo, who volunteers at The Salvation Army, said: “There are lots of moments that inspire me to run for The Salvation Army, firstly it's our amazing team made up of English and Ukrainian people. This is a chance to be free, to be together, and to raise money for The Salvation Army. I’m really looking forward to it because the atmosphere is amazing, lots of people clap and cheer, hand out snacks and shout ‘keep going, keep going’. That gives us energy, it’s unbelievable.” 

Peter Holmes, a Ukrainian family sponsor and volunteer with The Salvation Army will be travelling to The Salvation Army in Ukraine in the autumn with some of the donations the team have fundraised for. He is running to say thanks for the comfort offered when his father-in-law died many years ago, a kindness his family have never forgotten. 

Peter said: “Their support has remained consistent for all our local communities, including the Ukrainians of the North East. Nothing has changed, that kindness is still there.”

David McCaw-Aldworth, who leads Sunderland Monkwearmouth Salvation Army with his wife Elizabeth, said: “I am incredibly proud of every one of our runners, who are, without question amazing human beings, who are putting other people’s needs before their own. I’m privileged to call them my friends.” 

The Salvation Army in Sunderland Monkwearmouth at Roker Avenue provides practical and spiritual support to the Ukrainian community, hosting concerts and coffee mornings, Sunday services, help with training and jobs, visa applications signposting, and provides a safe space and holiday camp opportunities for children who had to flee Ukraine at the start of the war. 

The Salvation Army has nine long-established branches in Ukraine which are now helping to coordinate humanitarian support that comes over from England.

You can donate to the team here