A difficult milestone has been marked with the Whitehill chairman of East Hampshire District Council paying tribute to the resilience of Ukrainians on the third anniversary of the Russian invasion.

The colours of blue and yellow fluttered on Monday as the flag was hoisted outside the EHDC offices in Petersfield in solidarity with the country and the many Ukrainians who live locally.

There are currently 58 families in East Hampshire who are hosting Ukrainians while the council snapped up six homes around Bordon for £4million in 2023 to house refugees from the country and Afghanistan.

But with so-called peace talks garnering both hope and scepticism, support for Ukrainians who have taken refuge in W&B and East Hampshire remains unwavering.

“This is a difficult anniversary,” said EHDC chairman and Whitehill town councillor, Catherine Clark.

“But we celebrate the defiance of the Ukrainian people and the generosity of spirit of East Hampshire residents who have opened their doors to provide a haven for Ukrainians fleeing war.”

Cllr Clark added that EHDC will continue to support and help Ukrainians to be active members of the community with opportunities to socialise and live more independently.

Initiatives include the Creatful Ukrainian Weekly Art Classes, the Two Colours Ukrainian Choir, the Cold Coffee podcast on Shine Radio, and four EHDC events that allowed 41 Ukrainian children to try out a range of activities and sports, like climbing, swimming and archery.

Hampshire County Council (HCC) pays £500 a month for hosts through the Homes for Ukraine or Ukraine Permission Extension visa schemes, which has been extended until the end of next March.

More details can be found on the www.hants.gov.uk website. If you can open your home to a Ukrainian family or individual, then visit www.easthants.gov.uk to find out more.