BOLTON man Yaroslow Tymchyshyn took up a VIP invitation to the Ukrainian Embassy in Hollands Park this month.

Embassy First Minister Andriy Marchenko invited him to help celebrate the 28th anniversary of Ukrainian Independence and the remarkable work Mr Tymchyshyn, as chairman of the Bolton Assocoation of Ukrainians, has done to recognise the Holodomor, a Ukrainian famine of 1932-1933.

The Declaration of Independence for Ukraine was signed in August 1991, is considered a landmark in Ukrainian history and is still commemorated as a public holiday today where people attend concerts, circuses and firework displays.

The Holodomor Famine of 1932-1933 incurred a death toll as high as 10 million, with up to 28,000 dying each day. It is now considered a genocide by the Soviet government.

Mr Tymchyshyn said: "It was a great honour, I was flabbergasted to receive the invite. I was honestly blown away. There were only a small number of chairmen. On behalf of the Ukrainian community, we have been trying to get recognition, Pauline Latham, and John Whittingdale, who have been great supporters of everything I do.”

Pauline Latham, MP for Mid Derbyshire and John Whittingdale, MP for Maldon have been noted for bringing attention to the Holodomor and speaking on the ongoing conflict in Donbass, Eastern Ukraine.

Latham opened a Holodomor exhibition in Upper Waiting Hall in Parliament in November of last year.