FOUR truckloads of donations for Ukrainian refugees fleeing from the ongoing conflict will be shipped to Poland and Romania this weekend.
The initiative, which was started by Honorary Polish Consul Magda Chmielewska, will end two days earlier than expected due to the overwhelming response from Islanders.
Supplies will be shipped via donated trucks on Saturday morning and will be driven to Rzeszów in south-east Poland and to Romania. The goods will then be distributed through Caritas.
Meanwhile, the government has announced how Islanders wishing to make a monetary donation to the Bailiff’s Ukraine Fund can do so.
Pictures emerging from Ukraine have shown thousands of people queuing to get out of the west of the country and into Poland and Romania in order to escape Russian artillery.
Mrs Chmielewska said: ‘I am so proud of our Island.
‘We stand united as one and hopefully we can do as much to help these people as possible. We have at least four lorries worth of supplies and we are actually stopping the donations at 3pm on Friday instead of on Sunday because we have so much stuff.’
She added: ‘It has been so emotional. So many people have volunteered to help out and so many people have donated lots of stuff. One man came into the Town Hall and gave us the coat off his own back. We have had children writing letters and making their own special packages to give to the Ukrainian children.’
Simon Boas, executive director of Jersey Overseas Aid, said the organisation will be supporting the humanitarian aid collection.
‘If there is any shortfall in logistics costs that need covering then we will pick that up. We are also going to be in touch with Caritas and are looking to give some funding to them to make sure the Island’s donated supplies are sorted and distributed properly as that is a big job,’ he said.
‘We will also be responsible for ensuring the money that is donated to the Bailiff’s appeal is accounted for and distributed properly,’ he added.
Yesterday, Russian forces captured the Ukrainian port city of Kherson while another – Mariupol – was under siege.
Since the conflict began it is estimated that more than 2% of Ukraine’s population has been forced out of the country. At least 227 civilians have been killed and 525 wounded, according to the office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, although it acknowledged that is a vast undercount, and Ukraine earlier said more than 2,000 civilians have died.
Islanders have until 3pm on Friday to drop off items to the Old Magistrate’s Court building at the Town Hall in St Helier. People are also asked to check with their local parish hall to see when their collection service ends.
