Since Russia illegally invaded Ukraine on 24 February 2022, thousands of refugees are every day crossing Ukraine’s border with Poland, running in fear from the violence and atrocities being perpetrated across their country. So many, many awful, dreadful, horrible stories of Russian military violence and atrocities against civilians. So many people running for their lives, leaving their homes and everything they possess behind them. Many of them do not even know where they are running to and many have nowhere to go. The situation on the ground is just indescribable.

Very often, when refugees arrive in Poland from Ukraine, they are carrying what’s left of their lives in one or two plastic carrier bags. Their initial needs are to rest, eat, wash and then to move on to an uncertain future elsewhere. The refugee centre, where we have already been working, at Przemyśl, provides a facility where people can pause for a few hours and gather their thoughts before continuing their journey across Europe, while back in Ukraine their menfolk are fighting against superior odds to save their country.

There are five major areas of need:

Priority One - GENERAL ITEMS, such as warm and waterproof coats, power banks and even rucksacks and travel bags, for people fleeing their homes to carry what’s left of their lives.

Priority Two - PRZEMYŚL REFUGEE CENTRE, POLAND Where blankets, towels, and overnight kits are in demand for up to 1500 people arriving daily. This is the centre where we are presently working. Buses and vans arriving all day and all night every day of the week, from the Border Crossing Point at Medyka, just down the road. Refugees tend to stay here for 18 to 36 hours before being assisted onwards in their journey to safety and refuge. When people first arrive here most are tired, thirsty, hungry, frightened and confused. Lots of children, elderly, sick and disabled people. Many people injured or ill and in need of much help, physically, medically, spiritually and emotionally; on one day recently we had two totally blind people, each travelling separately and one of them on his own, without even his family to support him, reliant on the kindness of others. When they depart we hope that they at least have an outline of a plan in mind and have been fed, showered and rested, in preparation for the journey ahead.

Priority Three - IDPs AND AFFECTED PEOPLE IN UKRAINE trying to maintain their lives under extraordinary and extremely difficult circumstances need such things as feminine hygiene products, baby milk formula, nappies/diapers, dried, canned and packaged foods and water purification tablets.

Priority Four - MILITARY EQUIPMENT for the husbands, sons and brothers who are left behind, fighting for their country’s life, who need field equipment such as sleeping bags, rucksacks, and individual first aid kits.

Priority Five - MEDICAL EQUIPMENT. Dealing on a daily basis with the casualties caused by a major conflict, hospitals and medical facilities across Ukraine need dressings, drugs and medical equipment on a daily basis.

Needs here are enormous. There is also a logistics hub at Przemyśl and donations of van-loads and truckloads of supplies from UK and other countries across Europe, including medicines, equipment, food and everything needed both here and within Ukraine are constantly being unloaded, re-packaged and sent on.

Our time here will soon be coming to an end and we will drive back home to UK in a few days. But the needs will continue and we plan to come back again with at least one van load of supplies and support for refugees and for Ukraine.

So far we have been entirely self-financing and have spent a very great deal of money on this situation. Hopefully, this appeal will encourage others to help if they can, by donating in cash and kind.

PLEASE DO NOT SEND SECONDHAND CLOTHING

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1-3_RECcAKk5LftVIvGoD6Z8-_9dLJYCa