THE PICTURE ABOVE

This happy little girl is one of our guests from Ukraine, now staying in the Highlands of Scotland. Highlands for Ukraine has been able to source a bike for her mum and a bike seat for her. But it's vitally important she has a helmet for safety reasons. Guess what, she loves going out on her mum's bike so much she refuses to take her helmet off all day long! It has made such a huge difference to putting a smile on her wee face... and on her mum's face too! Please help us put a smile on more kids' faces by getting behind this scheme. Thank you so much.

THE BACKGROUND

For several months now Ukrainians have been arriving here in their hundreds to escape the horror of war, attempting to make sure their children are safe and protected from the mortars and daily death toll as much as possible.

But they still live with constant fear for their husbands, brothers, fathers, as well as friends and colleagues they’ve left behind in the fighting. So, life is anything but “normal” for our new Ukrainian guests! Mostly accommodated in hotels, they are trying to adjust to our culture, language and way of living in what, to them, is a strange environment.

They have a roof over their heads and are provided with two meals a day but practically nothing else apart from the trauma and uncertainty they wake up to daily.

WHAT WE’RE TRYING TO ACHIEVE?

To help our Ukrainian guests settle, at least a little to this new way of living, Highlands for Ukraine is putting in place various ways of making their days more comfortable.

One way we do this is find pre-owned bikes as it is the easiest way for them to get around and attend the official visits they need to make, get to job interviews and become familiar with the area where they have suddenly found themselves living.

One day a home, school, jobs, friends and normality… the next a strange country with little or no knowledge of the language and way of life of those around them.

HOW CAN YOU HELP?

We are fundraising here to be able to repair the bikes we are donated, but also to buy helmets, lights, hi-viz vests and locks for the bikes so they are road-safe and legal.

We already have the help of some kind friends in the cycle world who are doing repairs free or at minimum cost but bike parts can be expensive, so we need to bring in donations to help meet the extra costs.

A cycle safety pack can total as little as £35 but any donation at all you can make to this worthwhile project will be most gratefully received. We will of course give out the safety packs to the children we provide the donated bikes to first. But all Ukrainians now living here, whatever their age, have the right to be protected as much as we can, so please help us make sure there is enough to go round for everyone.

KSD Highlands for Ukraine is part of Rokpa Trust, registered Scottish charity No SCO38628