A crowded meeting of Warwick Rotary Club heard Dawid Kozlowski from Leamington Polish Centre talk about the help they have been sending to Ukraine since the Russian invasion.
Dawid had been in the Ukraine just weeks before the invasion bringing help to the Sisters of St Josephs orphanage. Immediately he started an appeal in the UK for help and was inundated by generous donations. So much arrived they had to move to a warehouse in Harbury Lane, from where medical supplies, household goods and food were taken directly overseas by road to over 20 towns and cities across Ukraine
Goods are sent on to church centres where nuns and priests deliver directly to aid centres, orphanages, and homes where people are sheltering from the bombardment. Dawid showed Rotarians pictures of the countryside, wrecked buildings and people sheltering, too afraid to carry on normal life.
The Polish centre’s support provided summer camps for Ukrainian children, a Leamington man paid for a young man to have eye surgery, and in November nuns identified 650 children for an individual present from Santa – this went on-line and was fulfilled within 2 weeks. Many local firms have been generous – Halfords donated 15 bicycles, and others donated clothes, supplies and medication.
Ambulances are vital to take the injured to hospital, and Dawid has just taken delivery of an eighth one.
Urgently required are generators, and during the meeting Rotarian Dick Dixon was able to donate one which will go directly to an orphanage which recently lost all power! It is seen here being loaded onto the ambulance and set off with 120 presents for the children.
Help is still desperately needed as winter comes in. If you would like to support the children and families in Ukraine, donations can be taken to the Army Surplus outlet at Harbury Lane storage, phone 07725 854629, or contact polishcentreleamongtonspa@gmail.com.
President Keith Talbot presented Dawid with a donation from the club. An exit bucket collection on the evening was also handed over.
