A collection of goods for Ukraine organised by Swindon's Polish community was today expected to send a second lorryload to the beleaguered nation.
The Polish Community Centre in Walton Close has served for two days as a collection point for supplies including clothing, tinned food, supplies for mothers and babies, medicines, bandages and sleeping bags.
Swindon people from all walks of life have flocked to donate, and volunteers have spent hours carefully sorting and packaging items.
One volunteer, Radek Mojsak, said: "We sent one 40-tonne lorry to Ukraine last night, so this is going to be the second transport.
"There has been a really positive response from all over Swindon.
"Here in the community centre, people realised that help was needed, so we started organising collections and donations."
Mr Mojsak added that the clothing appeal had been so successful that garments could no longer be accepted, with the emphasis switching to other supplies such as food and medicine."
Volunteer Derek Taylor, in his this day of helping at the centre, said: "The reason I came here is because I absolutely hate bullies and Mr Putin fits into that. It's the sight of children and their mothers having to leave husbands.
"I have not too much on at the moment so I thought it was better to come here and help than just read about it."
Fellow volunteer Rowena Halstead said: "People come together when there is a crisis, when there is injustice being done, when we feel there's something not right.
"You sit there watching television and wonder what you can do - and this is what you can do."
Mother and daughter volunteers, Zoe and Daisy Payne, were also amongst others helping to package donated items.
Mum Zoe said that when she first came into the Community Centre to help the efforts, piles of clothing reached half the height of the interior of the hall space.
She said: "We have been helping out since Sunday evening. It was mayhem because all the donations went over to the Polish Church and then all of us volunteers were like a daisy chain transporting everything over to the Polish Community Centre and putting it into piles, trying to sort everything into different sections as we went."
When helping to sort the clothing out, Zoe found a handmade crochet angel in the pockets of one of the coats.
She said it was 'quite a moment' discovering someone from Swindon had taken the time to make it and place it inside the coat for someone in need to find later.
Zoe was then joined by her daughter Daisy, and the pair took to sorting donated medicine.
Zoe added: “My daughter and I have been helping to sort medication. Some of it is prescribed and it’s got people’s names on. We need to count as they go in and make a list. We need to be thorough as these donations will be going through border control.
"It’s nice to feel like we are able to do something to help and contribute. I came to the Church on Sunday night to donate and after seeing everything going on, I just couldn’t leave. I said to my husband, you go home and I will stay and help. My workplace have been really kind and given me two ‘time-to-give’ days so I can stay and help the efforts further. I have children of my own and you just can’t imagine being put in a situation like what is happening over in the Ukraine."
Daisy said: “We have had to go through all these medicine boxes and individually cross out people's names and personal information.
"One of the ladies helping to organise everything here at the centre is our neighbour, which is one of the reasons that we heard about this going on. She is heavily involved and has family over in Poland. It’s amazing how people have pulled together. We’re proud of Swindon.
"This awful situation going on makes you appreciate what you’ve got and makes you really reflect. I was sorting baby clothes at one point and it did make me emotional knowing that people are giving birth in bunkers.”
Updates about the aid operation can be found at https://www.facebook.com/Polish-Community-Centre-Swindon-164048493609799/
Swindon Hub, at Unit 36 in The Parade, is also running a collection for Ukraine, and details can be found at www.facebook.com/hubswindon/
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