You don't need to be an 'investor' to invest in Singletrack: 6 days left: 95% of target - Find out more
I am closely connected to the Ukraine crisis, and have been feeling the strain since the morning we all woke up and first heard the news that Russia had attacked. It has meant constant media attention, and other demands on me from different angles: all of which make me want to go away and hide/cry until it is all settled.
In any case, in the midst of it all, I got a call last week directing me to a local woman who has been using a double-decker bus to deliver food to those in need about town, and who now wanted to fill it with supplies and send it to the Polish-Ukrainian border for those fleeing the war, and wanted to work with me to make it happen. She was clearly well-intentioned, and while I was pretty sure she had the energy to make a go of it, I wasn't as optimistic as she was that we would get everything we needed.
Well, I have done very little, but she has proven an absolute trooper. As of yesterday (Thursday) evening, the bus was full to the roof with supplies donated by individuals, supermarkets, and a local hospital, we have a couple of drivers (with EU passports), and now we just need to raise funds for the fuel. Otherwise, the bus is set for departure on the 16th. And on Monday, I have been asked to meet with a certain news agency who want to do a documentary about the whole thing.
That is all to say that, considering people had likely hardly heard of Ukraine before the war, and in the midst of everything that is going on in our lives, women, men, and children alike can be extremely kind and encouraging.
A friend of mine has done something similar. Ran a gofundme, filled up a truck and headed off to Ukraine. You can read about it on his Facebook page, it's quite astonishing.
I don't know if they're still collecting, but the fund raiser is here: https://www.gofundme.com/f/humanitarian-aid-mission-to-poland
Isn't it.
I've suggested he set up a blog, but I think he's a bit busy just at the moment.
Very cool. It’s good to see some positive human activities right now.
There’s a tradition of doing something similar in Oz… obviously not for the same reasons. To help farmers in times of drought Hayrunners head out with provisions for people and their animals
https://www.hayrunners.com/
Very laudable.
Are they both/all aware of UK border hold-ups because goods don't have correct post-brexit documentation?
No exceptions for humanitarian efforts, apparently.
This happened locally
[url= https://i.ibb.co/2jNT3Ff/CD195446-F8-D4-4-BF1-8-E48-BF1365925-B2-E.jp g" target="_blank">https://i.ibb.co/2jNT3Ff/CD195446-F8-D4-4-BF1-8-E48-BF1365925-B2-E.jp g"/> [/img][/url]
A Polish lady that works at a local café said she wanted to do something to help so asked people to drop donations off. 2 days later they had found a warehouse to use and appealed for volunteers to help sort through everything. We went along one day, but others have been every day for over a week.
So far 3 lorries have made it to Poland & Ukraine and there are plans for more. Another company (maybe a petrol station?) filled 2 of the lorries full of diesel too I think.
People really can be awesome sometimes.
@frankconway they had some hold ups with customs but got it sorted.
@cougar, Terry? That's my mates brother!
Good to hear when folk are able to do such fantastic and humane things for others.
The libraries round Perth asked for donations last Tuesday. I put a 200ltr bulk bin at the front desk for people to put donations in.
By 11am I took it away as nothing had been put in it.
That's because we filled a decent size meeting room, floor to ceiling instead.
We had people coming in asking what was most needed (sleeping bags, warm clothes, tents) then going shopping and buying this stuff to donate.
When we had to stop taking donations, people were giving us envelopes with cash instead - some envelopes had more than £100.
People are amazing.
Seen the chaps from Glasgow who drove over are taxing people over the border to Poland?
I'm wondering if giving money is the best thing I could do or if there is something else.
Happy to help out @SaxonRider if there's something specific I can be useful for.
Good point. My aunt coordinated support for Nepal after the big earthquake there a few years ago and they soon got overloaded with things that weren’t really what was needed and caused logistical issues in Kathmandu.
I posted this yesterday.
https://singletrackmag.com/forum/topic/psa-revel-rail-for-a-tenner/
A small company really digging deep. I hope it raises more than it actually cost them to give away that frame.
Entered that.
I would jump in my car and drive down to help give lifts to refugees, but I'm not sure I'd be any use.
Terry? That’s my mates brother!
Small world. We were at school together, I've known him the best part of 40 years.
Are they both/all aware of UK border hold-ups because goods don’t have correct post-brexit documentation?
No exceptions for humanitarian efforts, apparently.
In one of his videos he says something like "we've been here for three hours" - how much longer they were held up after that, I don't know.
@SaxonRider does you local woman have a gofundme for the fuel. Link please.
@Sandwich, she does indeed. Thanks for asking.
https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-turn-the-london-bus-into-a-mobile-foodbank
Our church has a link with one in Poland and one in Ukraine. The polish church is housing immigrants from Ukraine and the congregation are renting out houses to put them in. At the same time they are ferrying food and medicine to the border where the Ukrainian church members have organised safe transport to their church and they are there 24/7 helping the community with food and medicine or just being a place for people to go - kids activities, healthcare and mental health professionals etc.
I’ve just seen an update from the Ukrainian church and they’ve been out to some elderly people they knew were on their own and tried to give them food/warm clothing etc and some have said “I don’t want it, give it to the soldiers here they need it more”.
In this case cash direct to the Polish church really helped as they are able to buy goods really cheaply in their country and get it into Ukraine fast. But everything helps.
I’ve volunteered to bring Ukrainian people back from ports/airports and we have loads of people in our church who have volunteered to house people as long as they want. I’ve been told we haven’t been asked for this yet but I suppose it’s a matter of time.
Thanks SaxonRider. Fuel money will be donated later.