2022 11 Clothes for Ukraine

UKRAINE CLOTHING APPEAL

In November along with all other UK Rotary Clubs we were asked to supply warm clothing for Ukraine. What was initially a project for International/Foundation soon embraced the entire club including our Inner Wheel Ladies. A drop off point for items was the first challenge. After a few days it was agreed to store in the garage at the Catholic Church and Paul Mellings kindly offered his house as a Drop off point.

Warm clothes came from many quarters. Particular thanks to Helen who used her contacts to great advantage.

In the middle of this week about 15 Rotarians and Inner Wheel Ladies got together to bag all the clothes. Quite  sight as all seemed chaotic one moment but an hour later all was sorted and packed.

A morning was then spent trying to get transport for the bags to a drop off point in Horsham. I then had a call from Sian giving me a contact of a local guy with a removal van. Last minute problem yesterday when we learnt that Peter of PJ Removals had Covid!! Nevertheless he was well enough to drive this morning. Packing the van commenced at 9.30 & Andrew Gibson, Peter Davis and I then followed the van to Horsham where our 50 bags of warm clothing were amalgamated with many others.

A marvellous collaborative  effort and my sincere thanks to all who contributed to this worthy humanitarian cause.

Warm Regards

Geoff  Payne

International Chair

UPDATE FROM SIMON

After all your hard work, I collected a further 6 bags of clothes from the rugby club. For which, I was very grateful. There were mainly kids ski clothes which will be ideal for the winter.

 I spoke with Tim Vile (pronounced Voil). He said that the response had been overwhelming. I made Peter Jones van with three bags but took 3 further bags to Horsham on Saturday. The dedicated area was packed and I was only just able to get my three bags in. (I have just met Peter Jones and we estimated that it was probably the size of two containers.) As this is but one of five collection points then this is going to take some transporting.

 Tim was keen to update me on the logistics. He said that there would be two articulated trucks going to Poland this week. An unpronounceable Polish town will act as base camp as the kit will be processed here before being taken into the Ukraine.

 He wanted us to also know that the District had bought two magnetrometers and drones for mapping land mines. He was very proud of this and thanked us for our contribution.

 Simon Flint

16th December On a very cold morning Geoff Payne, Nigel Goodenough, Paul Mellings, Richard Hill, Peter Davis, John Maguire and President Julian Goodale drove to Horsham. Nigel took a picture of the heavy side gang about to load a store full of bags of clothing and bedding (in the background) on to lorries for shipment to Ukraine.

Update 21` Dec

The second batch of generators – 19 of them – has now been purchased and is due to arrive in Odessa this week. The first delivery of a 34KVA unit has now been installed at a children’s hospital, also in Odessa.

Warm Clothing and bedding

Our Three-Week campaign to collect warm winter clothes and bedding have enabled us to send to Ukraine:

• Two 40 ft articulated lorry loads with over 3000 bags and generators.

• Both loads arrived in Poland this week.

• Rotary Ukraine is to arrange collection and transport in the next few days to Lviv. They tell us that the recent air strikes are making journeys longer and more arduous. But it will be done.

And there’s yet more…

There are still sufficient bags left for one more complete load in the New Year, and we are currently making the arrangements with the Polish transport company.