The Bradford branch of the AUW was founded in 1950 and named for Nataliya Kobrynska (writer, socialist feminist and activist, 8 June, 1851 – 22 January, 1920). One of a number of community organisations in Bradford, the Branch has always concerned itself with providing a safe and inclusive space for women of Ukrainian descent living in Bradford. It has worked closely with the Ukrainian Supplementary School and the Ukrainian Youth Association in Bradford, and also supported the work of the...

The Bradford branch of the AUW was founded in 1950 and named for Nataliya Kobrynska (writer, socialist feminist and activist, 8 June, 1851 – 22 January, 1920). One of a number of community organisations in Bradford, the Branch has always concerned itself with providing a safe and inclusive space for women of Ukrainian descent living in Bradford. It has worked closely with the Ukrainian Supplementary School and the Ukrainian Youth Association in Bradford, and also supported the work of the other community organisations.

Over the years, the Branch has celebrated and commemorated various events such as Ukrainian Heroines, Mother’s Day, Princess Olha, 70 years of the Ukrainian Women’s movement. It also hosted embroidery evenings for young people (ensuring young people who have never been to Ukraine can enjoy folk arts), and ran an embroidery course for a number of years during the 1950s/1960s in partnership with the Ukrainian Youth Association. The first person to run the course was Maria Kashevka, then Mrs K Yakoviv and Mrs Ye Nakonechna.

In the 1960s, the Branch held an exhibition at the Bradford Mechanics Institute about folk art, displaying items such as embroidered table cloths, cushions, ritual cloths (ryshnyky), napkins, wood work and ceramics, which was very popular with English and other nationalities, as well as the Ukrainian community.

The Branch had its own room in the Ukrainian club, where it had display cases for folk art and a library. They also held tea evenings and pysanka making courses for young people. There was also a welfare function, where members visit sick and older members of the community. It also supported other Ukrainians living in the diaspora, such as Germany, with financial aid.

17th November, 1962, an embroidery competition was held, where young people were encouraged to wear modern clothes which they had customised with Ukrainian embroidery. This was held at a special event in the Victoria Hall where there was a special children-only room. In 1963, the branch commemorated the Ukrainian Heroines alongside the 50th anniversary of the death of Lesia Ukraiyinka. The commemoration was at Bradford Club. The stage was decorated with portraits of Olha Basarab and Lesia Ukraiyinka. The event was led by Mrs O Halas, branch chair, and other committee members and the choir appeared, along with poetry recitals by young people. The branch had a choir which was conducted by Mrs M. Chaikivska and later Mrs O. Deremenda.