My name is Craig and I'm currently raising funds to return to Ukraine as a humanitarian volunteer. I travelled there last year, just two weeks after the country was invaded by Russia. (You can read my full story below).

I have recently been contacted by an NGO in Ukraine who have asked me to work with them on my return, which will include teaching English to Ukrainian children to help them both 'mentally and emotionally' during this difficult wartime.

The head of the organisation explained to me that they do everything in cooperation with public institutions such as libraries, cinemas, kindergartens and take care of many large families, work with refugees, families in need and single mothers. They also transport items, cook for soldiers and refugees, provide psychological help and organise workshops for children to 'forget about horrors of war'.

Olya told me: "While it may sound strange to learn during wartime, live communication especially with a native speaker would be useful for the children both mentally and emotionally".

I want to be able to help as much as can and for as long as I can, so if you would like to personally support my next mission with a donation it would be greatly appreciated.

I would also be grateful if you could share my fundraiser with your friends & family, or anyone else you think may be interested in supporting this cause.

Thank you so much for your time.

~ Craig

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This is my story:

POLAND

On March 7th last year I quit my job and flew to Poland on the same day to help with the Ukraine refugee crisis following the unprovoked and illegal invasion by Russia.

I had been watching events unfold on TV and social media and decided that I couldn't just sit and watch, I had to do something. I didn't tell my family until after I arrived. They were shocked, but they supported me.

When I arrived in Poland I worked at a the Full Market refugee centre in the city of Rzeszów.

The 500-bed refugee centre had a dining area, clothing room, toilet facilities, kindergarten/play area and a medical team on site to help those in need - mostly women, children and the elderly.

A few days later I was approached by a charity foundation, Pod Skrzydlem Anioła, who asked for my help and transported me to Cieszanów, where I worked at a humanitarian aid hub near the Budomierz-Hrushiv border.

The operation at the supply hub was run by the people of the Folkowisko Foundation, who came to Ukraine’s aid at the very beginning of the conflict.

By the time I left there, the operation had sent over 2,000 tons of humanitarian aid across the border, reaching cities such as Mariupol, Kiev, Kharkiv, Sumy and Kherson.

Five weeks later, after hearing about the 'Homes For Ukraine' scheme set up by our government, I started working to help connect Ukrainian families, women and children with sponsors in the UK so they could relocate to safety there.

The sponsorship scheme was not known by the Polish people or the Ukrainian refugees, so I found the official documentation and went to a local printers in Rzeszów to create handouts in both English and Ukrainian.

On April 14th I began a journey across Poland on a personal mission to put official government documents on display in all of the train stations and refugee centres. 9 cities in 12 days.

Rzeszów - Lublin - Łódź - Warsaw - Gdańsk - Bydgoszcz - Poznań - Wrocław - Kraków

I also created a Facebook page and Telegram account to allow Ukrainian refugees to reach out for help to find a sponsor under our government scheme.

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UKRAINE

On May 3rd I travelled across the border to Lviv, Ukraine. I was only there two hours when the railway station I arrived at was struck with four cruise missiles. I was in the street at the time and heard the explosions.

I instantly witnessed the true reality these people are living in. Air raid sirens going off in the day and the middle of the night.

During my time in Lviv I had at 2 or 3 meetings every day to explain and give information about our government scheme to Ukrainian people that were interested to relocate to UK during the conflict.

I left home with only a backpack and a change of clothes for a week or so. I arrived back home 70 days later.

I was also featured in a news article which was written during my time in Poland, before I went to Ukraine:

https://www.newsshopper.co.uk/news/20101824.bromley-man-quits-waitrose-job-help-ukrainians/