When it comes to forging friendships across boundaries, it is children that so often teach us that many of the barriers we place between each other are almost entirely imagined. This open-heartedness sits at the heart of a new episode and song from the iconic animated dog Hey Duggee, supported by Mother London and The Romans. 

Reflecting the experience of thousands of children at schools and nurseries around the UK, Duggie has been joined by some new Ukrainian friends. Friends which will be instantly recognisable to Duggie’s new friends as the characters Mavka and Swampy have arrived straight from the Ukrainian series Mavka. The Forest Song.

Mavka and Swampy speak Ukrainian and too help them settle in Duggee and his friends, The Squirrels and Hummingbirds burst into song. 

‘The Welcome Song’ includes translations of Ukrainian phrases to help the new arrivals feel more at home and at the same time educate children in Ukrainian and give them some phrases to use to welcome their new friends. 

Hey Duggee narrator Alexander Armstrong voices the story and he is joined by children from the UK and recently arrived from Ukraine - who all sing the words of the song in their native language.

Harriet Newby-Hill, VP Marketing. Kids & Family at BBC Studios, explained:  “We are delighted to team up with Mother and Animigrad, and feel very proud that Hey Duggee is playing its part to help children coming to the UK from Ukraine feel welcome in such a charming and educational way.”

This special episode of Hey Duggee, ‘The Welcome Badge’, is available across all Hey Duggee social channels: YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, HeyDuggee.com, and on CBeebies and BBC iPlayer. 

Mavka and Hey Duggee were introduced by Mother, as part of its Friendly Faces project. Felix Richter, a Partner at Mother London added: “Collaborating together on this project to help thousands of children see the value of friendship, across language barriers, has been an absolute privilege.”