Help from Bournemouth to Ukraine has had an overwhelming, positive response from Dorset residents keen to help in any way they can. Set up by Karol Swiacki at the end of February, the group quickly gathered momentum as people donated items, time, and money for the hundreds of thousands who have been forced to leave their homes and belongings in order to flee the war and reach Poland for safety.

Now, the organisation has set up a fundraising page to help manage and organise the generous donations from across the county.

Help from Bournemouth to Ukraine is currently operating out of warehouses at Castlepoint, Hurn Airport and Poole. While national charities have been encouraging financial donations rather than items, the group is still accepting both.

Karol said: “Thanks to my connections in cities, towns and charities on the border between Poland and Ukraine, I’m getting direct requests for urgent aid. For example, we’re speaking to a children’s home at the moment who need lots of bottles, formula, and blankets. And that’s where we can help – thanks to the incredible donations from everyone here, we can pack a lorry with exactly what they need and get it over to them.”

Help from Bournemouth to Ukraine already has a team of over 100 volunteers who are working round the clock to sort, organise, and pack the lorries so only items that are really needed are sent over to Karol’s network of contacts, refugee centres, and children’s homes. All donated items that aren’t needed on the front line are sorted and sold locally, with over £5,000 already raised toward financial aid for transport and supplies for refugee centres.

Karol added: “We now have lorries leaving Bournemouth to Poland and Ukraine several times a week.

“Contacts in Poland are regularly updating us on the latest items and support required, from children’s clothing, milk bottles and toiletries, all the way through to sanitary products, and medical care equipment.”

Transportation is one of the biggest costs for the humanitarian mission which is where most of the financial contributions will be going. Karol said: “Every pound, every hour, every donation really does make a huge difference to the lives of those that have been torn apart by this awful war. We have been absolutely blown away by the enormous help given by people in Bournemouth and Dorset. Thank you.”

If you would like to help, either by volunteering your time, or donating items, please visit https://timecounts.org/bournemouth for information. The website is updated daily with the latest needs and items required.

The use of the old Argos warehouse and shop at Castlepoint Shopping Centre has been donated as a drop-off point and storage facility for all donations. People with donations can drop them off through the blue doors on the top level of Castlepoint between 9am and 5pm daily.

If you’d like to donate money, visit the new crowdfunding page https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/bournemouth-to-ukraine