As I watch what is going on in Ukraine I feel hopeless, unable to contribute in any way as I have little understanding of the politics and the history. I know Jozef through Roland's family and heard about his tremendous efforts to provide both sustenance and practical assistance to the considerable number of internally displaced Ukrainians who have been deeply affected by the war. Jozef and his crew started their journey with the establishment of a stationary feeding station on the Polish/Ukrainian border in early March 2022.As well as the Lviv operation they have now set up a roving operation based across the East and the South of Ukraine. They have set up mobile stations (usually set up for three or four days at a time) in Kharkiv, Odesa, Izium, Kherson, Zaporizhzhia and many other small towns and villages often close to the front line.

Every day of the year, come rain, shine or snow and whatever the temperature ... be it -20C or + 35C ... they are there serving pizza, fruit, coffee, hot chocolate and Coca-Cola to people all over the country, free or charge, whether they are in refugee centres, orphanages, hospitals, decimated homes or just forgotten villages all across Ukraine ...Hopefull is there offering love, friendship and just the hope and belief that the world is with them. It's very special.

https://www.hopefull.org.uk/

Every pound donated provides a whole pizza.......

So I am going to attempt my 18th marathon, if my knees hold and my shoulder cuff rotates on April 21st in Zürich and see if we can raise some money to help Jozef and the good people of Hopefull hand out some pizzas and smiles. If I finish it, it will be my first marathon as a grandmother....