The Association of Ukrainians in Great Britain was formed in 1946 and registered as an organisation in the UK in 1947. Bradford branch was one of the earliest branches, forming in 1946 The first Ukrainians to settle in the city were Mr and Mrs Kalyta. Significant founders included Ivan Smereka, Vera Smereka, Wolodymyr Korduba, Mykola Dubishak, Oleksa Oliynuk, Petro Huzij, Yosef Savka and Mr Bubna, amongst others. Also significant in the early days were Father Michael Ratushynskyj, the...

The Association of Ukrainians in Great Britain was formed in 1946 and registered as an organisation in the UK in 1947. Bradford branch was one of the earliest branches, forming in 1946 The first Ukrainians to settle in the city were Mr and Mrs Kalyta. Significant founders included Ivan Smereka, Vera Smereka, Wolodymyr Korduba, Mykola Dubishak, Oleksa Oliynuk, Petro Huzij, Yosef Savka and Mr Bubna, amongst others. Also significant in the early days were Father Michael Ratushynskyj, the Ukrainian Catholic priest, and Father Yov Skakalskyj, the Ukrainian Orthodox priest.

The first AGM of AUGB Bradford took place on 26th December, 1948 and Walter Korduba was elected as the first chairperson. The other members of the committee were Mykola Yavorskyj, Walter Dubchak, Fedir Faryna, Petro Chulan, Maria Chaykivska and Tetyana Stayishyn, with Ostap Buriak as the chairperson of the Audit Commission. They began to organise events and activities for their 160 registered members.

By 1949, membership had risen to 439 people and there was an active cultural and social life with a choir, drama group and dance ensemble. In 1950, the branch raised £2,950 and with the assistance of the AUGB Central Committee, it purchased its first cultural centre at 13 Claremont, Great Horton Road. The building had twelve rooms which provided ample space for events and activities including a sports club with a football team ‘Dnipro’ and a chess team, the choir Dibrova founded by Yaroslav Havryliuk as well as CYM and ObVU.

The membership increased to 738 members although this dipped to 569 in 1952 because of employment losses in the textile industry which led to a number of the community emigrating to Canada and the USA. Community life continues to develop in Bradford and on 22nd January, 1966, a new hall which extended the premises significantly was opened by the then chairperson, Mykhailo Rewilak. This meant that community events such as concerts, plays, dances, parties, wedding receptions etc. could be held more often.

But by 1979, the community had outgrown even this extended space, and new premises at Westfield on Legrams Lane were purchased for £65,000. Extensive renovations were carried out and on 2nd May, 1981, the premises were open and in use, having been blessed the previous day by Father Mykola Matychak, Father Myhailo Hutorny and Father Petro Steciuk. The development of the complex continued, and on 27th August, 1983, a new school and school hall were officially opened, followed by a new main hall with a capacity of 550 was officially opened on 3rd March, 1984. AUGB Bradford continues to be at the heart of the city's Ukrainian committee.

Born 9th July, 1943 in Ufa, Bashkortostan, Serhiy Komisarenko was educated at the Kyiv Medical Institute and Kyiv University. He worked at the Palladian Institute of Biochemistry at the Ukrainian Academy of Sciences from 1966, becoming its director in 1992. He was Deputy Prime Minister of Ukraine from 1990 to 1992, when he was appointed at the first Ambassador Plenipotentiary to the UK. He became ambassador for Ireland in 1995 and served in both roles until 1998. He stood as a candidate in the 2004 Ukrainian presidential election.