Manchester branch of CYM held its Annual General Meeting on Saturday 26/02/05. Representatives of other ukrainian community organisations and parents came to listen to annual reports from committee members. Reports told the AGM about the many successes of Manchester CYM in every field of activities – educational, cultural and sports.

Manchester branch is still the biggest in the UK. Meetings every week provide members with educational activities, ukrainian folk-dancing, singing, sport, shooting, embroidery, making pysanky (ukrainian Easter eggs) and many other crafts.

At summer camps in Tarasivka in 2004, there were 51 members from Manchester – from sumenyata to the camp’s command team (approx. 25% of all participants) 21 of them were adults who worked at camp as volunteers.

On the cultural side of activities, Manchester sumivtsi were extremely successful in 2004. At the Regional CYM rally Manchester won 9 first places and in the National finals 7 first places and 2 second. We competed in so many categories it showed a colossal amount of work and some well-deserved trophies. Sumivtsi take part in all manner of events in the ukrainian community and beyond. Commemoration Day for theGreat Famine in Ukraine, joining the ukrainian ex-servicemen’s organisation in honouring heroes and soldiers who gave their lives fighting for Ukraine, Poppy Day with the British Legion. Sumivtsi visit ukrainian families all over Manchester with Christmas Carols and keep a vigil at Easter beside the Plashchanytsia at church. The most important one in 2004 was supporting “The Orange Revolution”.

Our sumivtsi know how to have a good time too and organised a very successful St.Micheal’s Dance and before that a Halloween fancy dress party. Of course they invited all the other branches of CYM to come and join the fun.

In spite of the terrible fire we suffered in February 2005 - within 4 weeks all CYM activities were up and running again. The cultural and educational life of Manchester CYM were not lost with the fire. It’s a bit of a squeeze in the premises that remains, but everybody is working together and as sumivtsi say - “HARTUIJS!”