Ukraine needs our help more than ever. Not least to let them know that we continue to stand with our Ukrainian friends and are unambiguous in our recognition of the sovereignty of the country and the aggression of Russia's brutal and illegal invasion. We will be in Ukraine in March, buying vital humanitarian supplies.

We have some serious fundraising effort over the coming months, raising money for the Summer Camp for war widows in June. Tom Astle is running the London Marathon 27 April and Justin Tilley is doing the Brighton Marathon on 6 April. Good luck to them to them both and thank you. If you're donating for either of those events, please just note the event in your comments! Most importantly, thank you!

This year we are planning four further deliveries of aid to Ukraine, starting in March, when we will drive out two 4x4 vehicles to Kyiv, for medical units working with the Ukrainian Army. We will also be collecting donations of food, blankets, boots, vitamins and medical products in May for delivery in June.

Our story so far

Since March 2022 a group of individuals and organisations based in Peterborough, Stamford, Sheffield and Dronfield have been working with partners in Poland, Rivne, Kyiv and Kharkiv to help Ukrainian refugees in Poland and communities across Ukraine.

We have now made 19 trips to Poland and Ukraine, delivering over 100 tonnes of humanitarian aid, ambulances, camping stoves, generators and specialist medical equipment.

Our latest delivery in November 2024 was our largest yet - 17 pallets of humanitarian aid sent out to our partners in Rivne and Kyiv, including food, medicines, clothes, lanterns and powerbanks. There were also over 200 Chrome books for children in Peterborough's twin city of Vinnytsia and Christmas boxes for children in Sumy and Kharkiv. We are also sending money directly to charities in Kyiv to buy food and equipment.

In August 2024 six volunteers drove three 4x4 vehicles to Kyiv from Bucharest, delivering them to military units who will use them to evacuate casualties from the front line. Another 5 volunteers were at a Summer Camp from 1-8 June for 30 war widows and their 65 children. Our project raised £15,000 for the camp and our volunteers helped organise and run activities for the children.

In total since March 2022, the team has raised over £300K and

Supported four summer camps for Ukrainian widows and children.

Purchased and had delivered 37 generators for use by churches, schools, orphanages, charities and cafes across Ukraine

Delivered over 50 tonnes of donated food supplies, including rice, pasta, tinned food to villages close to the Russian border in Sumy oblast and across southern Ukraine.

Delivered 2 tonnes of general medical supplies, such as bandages, sutures, surgical gowns and gloves directly to the Kyiv Heart Institute

Purchased specialist medical equipment for the Kyiv Heart Institute, particularly 25 heart valves and over 600 sutures for use in heart surgery

Purchased flak jackets and helmets to protect humanitarian aid workers who are helping get our donations to front line communities

Provided financial support for a humanitarian aid team for four months (April – August 2023), providing funds to purchase fuel and additional supplies, such as bread, to be delivered to communities around Bakhmut and Lyman and fridges and microwaves to the flood devastated villages around Kherson

Supported a charity for the deaf in Odesa, buying head torches, power packs and hi-vis ribbons to help them through the winter

Delivered c 1000 Christmas and Easter gift boxes for Ukrainian refugee children in Poland and in Rivne, Kostopil, Odesa, Kyrvy Rik, Chernivtsi, Kyiv and Kharkiv and Sumy Oblasts.

Please contact us on richard@helpingourukrainianfriends.org.uk

Helping Our Ukrainian Friends