How to help Ukraine

Helping Ukraine from home

LOUISE LEMOINE reports on how Liverpudlians can support the Ukrainian crisis.

Photo by Daniele Franchini via Unsplash

The Russian invasion of Ukraine has sparked widespread condemnation across the globe. Liverpool is just one of the North West cities sharing its solidarity with Ukraine, by illuminating St George’s Hall in Ukrainian colours, Liverpool fans sang ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’ as a tribute to Ukraine at their West Ham game and Liverpudlians have voiced their opinions and fears, wide and far.

Mayor of Liverpool, Joanne Anderson, spoke about the Ukrainian crisis saying: “For all the Ukrainians who have made Liverpool their home, this is a deeply troubling time, we will do what we can to support you. There are no winners in war. We must now strain every sinew to convince President Putin of that fact.”

The people of Liverpool are known for their urge to offer help and support where needed. Although the crisis is occurring many miles away, here are some of the ways you can help from home.

Essential Donations

In Liverpool, charities and non-profit organisations have been accepting donations of essential supplies to send over to Ukraine and neighbouring countries where refugees have been fleeing to.

Since February 24th, more than 1 million people have crossed from Ukraine into Poland, according to the Polish border guard. Furthermore, more than 2 million refugees have fled the war in Ukraine.

It is expected that those fleeing the war will have left most of their belongings behind and will need essential help upon arrival.

Six Polish community groups across the North West have joined together to help gather donations to help the Ukrainian people who have found refuge in Poland.

Donations will be packed into lorries in Kirkby by volunteers, taken to Wrexham for sorting and will then make the journey to Poland. There are also two sorting warehouses being ran in Liverpool.

Polskie Merseyside, located on County Road, has received huge essential donations from across Merseyside. They have decided to pause donations whilst they transport the items they have over to Poland, to ensure humanitarian aid is received when it is needed. But as the crisis continues, the charity may accept donations again soon.

However, they are now looking for volunteers to help load the lorries to transport donations over to Poland.

Volunteering

Polskie Merseyside are looking for volunteers to help sort and pack Merseyside donations to be taken to Ukrainian refugees in Poland.

Michael Frackowiak, co-founder of Polskie Merseyside, spoke about the need for volunteers to get donations to Poland: “We need as many people to volunteer in Wrexham as we can get so we can keep this going. Friday was the last day for donations in Liverpool, but we now think across the North West we have collected enough for eighty lorries to be sent to Ukraine and we need to finance that so financial donations are also welcome.”

He said: “It’s hard to believe what is happening in 2022. So many people could be displaced in this conflict, how do you get the infrastructure to help all these millions of people?”

“What we’re doing in Merseyside is the very least we can do. I know tomorrow I will wake up next to my wife in a comfortable bed and

see my three-year-old daughter. People are leaving their homes in Ukraine carrying one suitcase. What would you put in one suitcase if you had to? This is the reality.”

You can get into contact with Polskie Merseyside via their Facebook.

Financial Donations

Financial donations are another way to help, donations of all sizes can make a considerable difference.

Polskie Merseyside, is also running a JustGiving fundraiser in order to raise funds to cover the costs of transporting donations of humanitarian supplies over to Poland for Ukrainian refugees.

The funds raised will cover the costs of petrol, vehicle hire, food for volunteers, extra warehouse space for donations and staff to help to sort donations ready for transportation. As of writing, they have raised just over £8,000.

To donate, you can find Polskie Merseyside’s fundraiser via JustGiving.

Moreover, the British Red Cross is accepting donations for the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC). The DEC unites 15 charities who are experts in humanitarian aid.

Donations will allow the DEC to provide

“People are leaving Ukraine carrying one suitcase. What would you put in one suitcase if you had to?”

food, first aid, clean water, shelter support, warm clothing, hygiene parcels and medicine to Ukraine. They will also support hospitals and healthcare facilities, fire fighters and civil protection units.

They also provide help to educate civilians on the risks of explosives, they repair vital infrastructure and help to repair homes, healthcare centres, schools and community centres.

On the Red Cross website, they say that: “£10 could provide a hygiene kit to a family of five giving them supplies to stay healthy for a month. £20 could provide five blankets to families taking shelter.”

To donate to the Red Cross, you can find their fundraiser on their website.

Demonstrations

Last week, demonstrations took place at the Bombed out Church, symbolically one of the cities iconic reminders of the effects war can have. Protests and rallies demonstrate the importance of causes to society.

On March 10th, Merseyside Stop the War is holding a rally at The Casa on Hope Street. They will be discussing how the anti-war movement should respond to the Ukraine crisis, there will also be speakers from the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament and Stop the War.

The rally will begin at 7pm and end at 9pm.

Helping Asylum Seekers

Liverpool City Council has issued advice for those looking to support refugees and those seeking asylum.

Resettled Ukrainian refugees will be allocated their own homes but offers of temporary accommodation for those waiting to receive their permanent accommodation or those refused asylum, are very much appreciated and needed.

If you have a spare room in Liverpool, you can host a refugee via a charity called Refugees at Home.

Refugees at Home is a UK charity which allows people to volunteer their spare rooms to refugees and asylum seekers in need of somewhere to stay. So far, they have placed 2,599 guests into spare rooms.

You can apply to host your spare room via an application on Refugees at Home’s website.