FAQs - Village Help for Ukraine
Who are we?
Our names are Hannah Pierce & Allison Milligan and we are from rural villages in Buckinghamshire. When the war started in Ukraine in 2022, like most people we were shocked and wanted to do something to help.
Why do we do this?
The honest answer is because we care and just want to be decent human beings supporting people affected by war with the basic necessities to survive.
Every time we hear our friends in Ukraine, we see and witness first hand just how much support is needed. There are people there who have lost everything, including their loved ones and if we can help them in any way then that’s what we do. No more, no less.
How did we get started?
On the first Sunday after the invasion started, we put a ‘shout out’ on local social media pages asking for donations of anything and everything “from a sticking plaster to a life support machine”.
Within 2 hours, the car was full. Not having previously had any contact with any Ukrainian group nor knowing anyone in Ukraine, we drove to the Luton Branch of the Ukrainian Association of Great Britain. When we arrived there to drop off, there were many tears shed and the Ukrainian Community in Luton were genuinely blown away as thought that nobody would care about them.
That was then the start of our journey to help Ukraine and her people.
From then on, after many phone calls, emails, and social media posts & messages through our Village Help for Ukraine Facebook page, many likeminded people and groups started to come together with a common goal.
One such individual was David Barrett, who one weekday evening turned up in a decommissioned ambulance that he was driving to Ukraine and we then proceeded to load up with medical aid. After chatting (which Hannah is very good at!) David told us that he had already been to Ukraine and back 7 times!
By chance, when David was flying back from Poland after delivering his ambulance into Ukraine, he told us he’d bumped into a man at the airport called Elliott Svatos who also drove vehicles and aid to Ukraine for the group he set up “Ukraine UK Aid”. Since that meeting on the Ryanair flight back from Krakow in August 2022, through David, we linked up with Elliott & Ukraine-UK Aid and together fundraise to purchase not just vehicles, but all sorts of aid that then goes to our friends in Ukraine.
What do you fundraise for?
As well as the 4x4 vehicles, we have fundraised for the purchase of Defibrillators, specific clinical/medical items - chest seals, haemostatic gauzes and granules, Heavy Duty Tourniquets , Water purification tablets, sanitary items, Boots and footwear for soldiers, Camo netting, Nappies – The list is endless. On top of sending aid to Ukraine, we have also been able to support 7 Ukrainian Families who came to the UK under the Homes for Ukraine Scheme.
Having arrived here with literally one bag each, through people’s generosity with not just financial donations but also physical items we’ve been able to provide then with:
- Winter Clothing & Shoes
- School Uniforms and school supplies
- Beds, Mattresses and Bedding
- Furniture
- Kitchen goods
- Children's toys and books
- Bikes for the children
- Items requested for specific medicals needs
We’ve also been able to link the families together so they have their own support network locally.
Other things have included sorting and liaising with the authorities to assist with school places and family support, signposting to relevant groups and activities suitable for their requirements,
Lastly we have made sure to support local groups where possible and anything that we have been donated, that hasn’t been suitable to send to Ukraine (such as food in glass jars, aerosols etc) have been donated to the local food banks.
How do you raise money
Over the last 12 months, we’ve held Tombola’s, Raffles, Quiz nights, Ukrainian Photography displays and even held an Exhibition of Ukrainian Artworks at a National Trust Property for their opening week of the Summer of Art 2022.
We’ve also been supported by the generosity of the Bletchley Rotary Club.
Thanks must also be given to many individuals and local community groups that have fundraised independently and kindly donated the proceeds to us. Every day we are blown away by the support and generosity of our local communities.
We accept donations of goods given in person to us and also have an Amazon Wishlist which is updated often with the requested items from our Ukrainian Friends. Our Amazon wish list can be found by clicking here; Amazon Link
Who do you support?
Since the beginning of the invasion, we have met some amazing people and groups – all of us united with the common goal to help Ukraine and her people.
We’ve been able to support the following groups with aid both here and in the UK:
- Ukrainian Association of Great Britain
- Prykarpattia Defense HQ ( Ivano-Frankivsk)
- The Ukrainian Club, Holland Park, London
- Renegade Relief Runners
- The Frontline Kitchen (Lviv)
- UK4UA
- Knitting 4 Ukraine
- BAMK
- Dads Army & the Pavel Duda Foundation
- Pashington Humanitarian Aid
- Hippo Centre, Kropyvynitsia
- Various smaller individuals based in Ukraine
- Baby Basics MK
- Leighton-Linslade Foodbank
- Wing Church Foodbank
- Local Groups and Charities supporting Ukrainians in the UK
How can I help more?
For us to be able to continue to what we do, we are always looking at ways to fundraise. If you can help in any way or have any ideas, please reach out to us.
Following what we do, sharing our social media posts, interacting with us and supporting Ukraine is just as important.