Circles of life: meet the kilted volunteer serving pizza to hungry Ukrainians

Tom Hughes brings a taste of joy and a powerful message to communities devastated by Putin’s war, says Harry Stourton in Dnipro, Ukraine

Tom Hughes is bringing a smile to the faces of children in eastern Ukraine (Tom Hughes)

I just thought it was the right thing to do, to come and help,” says Tom Hughes, the raffish, unshaven 42-year-old head of the Ukrainian operation run by Scottish charity Siobhan’s Trust, which serves up hope in the shape of a pizza.

“Having spent so much time living under this level of terror, it’s become a moral obligation to help as much as possible. When the missiles come in, we just turn up the music and keep cooking.”

Wearing a distinctive kilt in Ukraine’s national colours of yellow and blue, Hughes has proudly led a band of international volunteers on a mission to bring hope, joy and sustenance to civilians in eastern Ukraine.