Ten-year-old Ukrainian girl's painting to be signed by Rishi Sunak after Bognor MP personally escorts her to No.10

Yaryna Zakaliuzhna travelled with her mother Tatiana up to London to deliver the painting last Monday (11 March). They were accompanied by Bognor Regis MP Nick Gibb, and two of his constituents; James and Karen Baird, who own a farm in Climping.

Both Yaryna and Tatiana are refugees living in the UK, and Yaryna’s father is serving in the Ukrainian military. Yaryna’s painting, which appears to depict Patron, a mine-sniffing dog who became a symbol of national resistance after detecting more than 200 explosives one the frontlines, has already been signed by Ukrainian President Zelensky.

Patron, a Jack Russell Terrier, was recognised for his bravery in 2022 with a ceremonial medal presented by President Zelenskyy himself, and he’s the first dog in history to be awarded the title of ‘Goodwill AmbassaDOG’ by UNICEF, according to his website.

When the painting has been signed, it will be returned to James Baird – a volunteer driver who has delivered aid to Ukraine on six different occasions, and who helped organise the signing – where it will be auctioned off to raise money for three different charities.

The charities are: Pick-Ups For Peace, which delivers supplies to parts of Ukraine, Antares, a Ukrainian charity that recovers bodies from bombed out buildings, and Hospitellier, which uses volunteer medics to recover wounded soldier from the battlefield and transport them to field hospitals.

Nick Gibb said: “It was an honour to meet Yaryna Zakaliuzhna who is an intelligent and artistically talented 10-year-old. Her life-like water colour paintings of animals and pets that have suffered in some way during the war are deeply moving.“I pay tribute to James Baird for his energy and commitment in taking second-hand vehicles to Ukraine and for organising the fundraising and the signing of Yaryna’s painting by President Zelenskyy. It is hoped the painting will raise tens of thousands of pounds for the three charities supported by Yaryna Zakaliuzhna and her mother.