Ukraine relief effort draws Europe-wide support
Southwest London residents pull together to fill vans and trucks carrying emergency aid to the Polish-Ukraine border refugee camps
Southwest London families have thrown their weight behind the Europe-wide Ukraine relief effort by donating thousands of bags of winter clothing and other essential supplies for refugees.
The relief effort that started 10 days ago with an appeal by Polish food supply business owner Magda Harvey at the Balham White Eagle Club was still in full swing on Monday; hundreds of volunteers at the club packing boxes, volunteer drivers signing on, logistics organisers linking corporate donors such as Delloite and Accenture to refugee centres on the ground in the border region.
From the club dining room, now a relief office, Hamish Clarke, 47, a South African business strategy consultant from Colliers Wood with a Polish wife Justyna, said: “I saw on social media a lot of noise but little pragmatic leadership so I have taken positive steps to escalate the effort on LinkedIn, brought in officers from the air force and army to be in charge of logistics.
“We have started to build out a relief model, using supporters in Ukraine, Portugal, wherever they volunteer from, and we are gaining momentum and movement so we can now replicate that model for essential food and medical supplies.”
Many vans and lorries have been despatched so far, with some difficulties at the French border, which Clarke said they must overcome to get aid where it’s needed quickly “despite the veil of Brexit and bureaucracy, which this is an opportunity to overrule”.
Harvey said the goods needed were winter clothing, but more urgently medical items including morphine, blood bags and combat dressings as well as first aid kits, baby foods, blankets and coats.
Nick Horseman, 62, a retired businessman from Hampshire, turned up with his family estate car to sign on to take relief boxes and bring Ukrainians out of their country, even volunteering to house them in his own home. He said: “I spent two days watching this on TV and thought I’ve go to do more. Even if I have to drive to Mothercare and load up with nappies, I’m going.”
Ezra Stelmach, owner of radio station Full.FM and his team of 35 staff were volunteering. He said: “I was frustrated watching the news and shocked, and shared my worry with Jewish friends in Israel, and knew in my heart I had to help with documentation and beating bureaucracy.”
Councillor Richard Field, mayor of Wandsworth, on a visit to the club, showed the Polish eagle on his chain of office marking a previous Polish mayor’s service in the borough.
“I am supporting this wholeheartedly, he said. “This must have the oxygen of publicity. There are many good people and local businesses in this borough and beyond behind this. They have a great community here at the club and church opposite. This a very much a peoples’ effort.”
