 Dear friends and colleagues, We are delighted to invite you to The BEARR Trust’s Annual Conference 2023 on Friday 17 November 2023 on the theme of Ukraine: community support for mental health, resilience and recovery The BEARR Trust has increasingly directed its efforts in Ukraine, funded by the appeal we launched in February 2022, towards supporting therapeutic work by our Ukrainian partners. In July 2023, we launched a new programme “From Group Therapy to Community Cohesion”, funded by the British Government through the British Embassy in Kyiv. The Annual Conference will focus on the challenges local organisations have faced, their approaches to the provision of therapeutic support, future needs and strategies. The conference will take place on Friday 17 November 2023 between 13:00 and 16:30 (London); 15:00 and 18:30 (Kyiv). It will be a hybrid event with participants joining online via Zoom or in-person at Voluntary Action Islington, 200a Pentonville Road, London N1 9JP. Representatives of civil society organisations and volunteer groups in Ukraine and academics will take part in two moderated panel discussions followed by a plenary session (see below). There will be Q&A sessions throughout the conference. There will be simultaneous interpretation into English, Ukrainian and Russian. For participants attending in person tea, coffee and sandwiches will be available from 12.00 to provide an opportunity for networking. To register for the conference, please visit our Eventbrite page here. Tickets are free but we are suggesting that participants consider making a donation of £10 per person, £5 for students and jobseekers, or more if you are able. Free tickets are available for those unable to make a donation. If you are a UK taxpayer and eligible for Gift Aid, please consider registering for a free ticket on Eventbrite and making your donation to our CAF Donate Page here. All proceeds will go to The BEARR Trust’s Emergency Appeal for Ukraine About the Conference Panel 1 Megan Bick, BEARR Trustee, will moderate a discussion between: Natalia Shmurikova, Center for Strategic Initiatives, Khmelnitskiy, Ukraine Tamara Lomadze, Povernis, Odesa, Ukraine Liudmyla Byts, Friendly Space, Dubno, Ukraine Panel 2 Michael Rasell, BEARR Trustee, will moderate a discussion between: Max Maslennikov, Charity Fund “Reconstruction of Ukraine”, Dnipro, Ukraine Dr. Reima Maglajlic, University of Sussex, Department of Social Work and Social Care, UK Paul Niland, Lifeline, Ukraine Plenary Session Janet Gunn, BEARR Trustee, will chair a discussion between panel members and participants. We very much look forward to seeing you at our conference! With warm wishes, The BEARR Trust |