The borough has been twinned with a library in the city of Chortkiv, located in western Ukraine, on the banks of the Seret River.

It forms part of a national initiative led by Libraries Connected, which is seeing more than 20 areas in the UK twinning with Ukraine libraries to share information, exchange skills, connect audiences, develop joint initiatives and celebrate UK and Ukrainian language, literature and culture.

Over 1,000 cultural heritage sites in Ukraine have been damaged or destroyed since the start of the full-scale Russian engagement, including hundreds of libraries, which have had to rapidly adapt to wartime conditions. Libraries have focused on supporting communities’ mental health, countering misinformation and providing practical help such as first aid training and rest stations for combatants.

Through the twinning scheme, Libraries Connected aims to support mutual exchange and learning, providing moral and practical support to library staff working in incredibly challenging conditions.

Cllr Tony Higgins, Warrington Borough Council’s Cabinet Member for communities, culture and leisure, "We are very pleased to be forming this partnership with Chortkiv’s library. This twinning presents a fantastic opportunity to show our solidarity with the Ukrainian people and build new connections.

“We’re looking forward to working closely with Chortkiv to share cultural learning and develop joint initiatives, while offering whatever assistance we can to help the city continue its vital work serving its communities in these difficult times."

Visit the Libraries Connected website to find out more about their work with the Ukraine library sector, and to view a full list of the paired libraries.