Candlelight gathering at North Cronulla to show support for people of Ukraine

The council-approved event has been organised by a community committee headed by Rod Coy OAM, longtime chairman of the Sutherland Shire Relay for Life.

It will be held on Sunday April 10 from 5pm and everyone is welcome.

Those who attend are encouraged to wear the Ukrainian national colours of blue and yellow.

If bad weather intervenes, the event will move to Cronulla mall.

"We are going ahead rain, hail or shine because the bombs don't stop dropping," Mr Coy said.

From 5pm to 6pm, there will be a big screen presentation in the park, with talks and interviews, including with members of the shire's Ukrainian community.

A candlelight ceremony will follow, with participants asked to bring torches or glow sticks - the latter will also be on sale.

Participants will be able to write in more than 100 hearts imprinted on a large canvas. The artwork or a photo will be sent to Ukraine.

A minute silence at 6.30pm will be followed by the Ukrainian and Australian national anthems before a walk along the Esplanade to Cronulla Point and back in honour of the refugees who are fleeing the Russian guns and bombs.

Mr Coy said he believed there was "a groundswell of sympathy" in the shire for the people of Ukraine.

"A lot of people are saying, 'What can we do to show our care and support?' " he said

"This is their chance."

Miranda residents Vasyl and Kateryna Boroviak, who moved to Australia from Ukraine 10 years ago and were granted permanent residency because of their work skills, welcomed the opportunity to raise awareness of the plight of the people in their former homeland.

"The worst thing possible a human can do is happening in Ukraine on a massive scale," said Mr Boroviak, who belongs to the Ukrainian Council of NSW and is a former board member.

Mr Boroviak said he knew about 20 Ukrainian families who live in the shire and believes there are probably three to four times that number.

People attending the event will also have the opportunity to make a donation to the Ukraine Crisis Appeal - a collaboration between the Australian Federation of Ukrainian Organisations (AFUO), Rotary Australia World Community Service (RAWCS) and Caritas Ukraine.

It is largest Australian tax-deductible fundraising effort for Ukraine and so far has raised more than $2.4 million towards the $5 million goal.