Buckie community rallies round for Ukraine
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THE community of Buckie has stepped forward with an "amazing" response to help those fleeing the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Thursday, February 24 saw Russian troops cross the border into Ukraine after an intense diplomatic effort failed to stop war.
The invasion has seen hundreds of thousands of civilians flee the former Soviet republic, which gained its freedom from the USSR in 1991, to the neighbouring states of Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania and Moldova and beyond. Many have fled the intense fighting with little more than the clothes on their backs.
However, the plight of the Ukrainians has spurred a huge response from people in the Buckie area and across Moray.
One of those touched by the human tragedy of the war is Buckie Dental Practice manager Jennifer Hay who, along with principal dentist Tadeusz Grygiel, has been organising collections of clothes and other items for those forced to leave their homeland.
The collection began on Monday, February 28 and it was not long before Mrs Hay and husband Richard were taking a large quantity of goods to the Polish Deli in Elgin, which was acting as a drop-off point.
She said: "The response from local people has been amazing, it gives you goosebumps the way people have been donating.
"I saw a Facebook post from the Polish shop in Elgin about the collection they were doing for Ukrainian refugees and it inspired me to hold one here.
"The items we're collecting are bound for Poland; we've a strong connection with the Polish community through Tad, who's from Poland.
"When Richard and I dropped off the first load of donations at the Polish Deli it was bumper to bumper in the queue of people who had turned up to hand in items. In future, we're going to be sending donations to a centre in Aberdeen where transport to Poland will be organised.
"We're pretty much open to all sorts of donations. At first it was stuff like sanitary products, blankets, socks and so on but we're getting a wider range of stuff.
"We can accept dried food as well but unfortunately not anything with meat in it – apparently it's got to to with Brexit regulations. Also, we can accept cash donations, too.
"We'll be keeping the appeal going for the foreseeable future."
Mr Grygiel said he was overwhelmed with the support shown by local people for the refugees flooding into his native Poland and the various agencies there working round the clock to give them food and shelter.
"There has been great support for our country and the refugees," he continued.
"At the moment I think we already have 500,000 refugees from Ukraine and there will probably be more coming soon.
"I'm very proud of the way Scottish people want to help us. We're all touched by this, it's been overwhelming.
"We just want to help people in need."
Anyone wishing to donate should pop over to the practice on West Church Street during office hours and knock on the window at the reception desk.
For updates on the collection, visit the practice Facebook page.
Students at Buckie Community High School will also be joining the dental practice's efforts.
Acting PT RMPS and Raising Attainment Stewart Clelland said: " With the help of the Jennifer Hay and the Buckie Dental Practice and Implant Clinic, the BCHS Community Larder will be collecting donations and supplies to help the Ukrainian people.
"We will be accepting donations until March 20. The donations will be taken to Aberdeen and then to the Polish-Ukrainian border.
"Most importantly we need first aid with black markers for triage, plasters, bandages and men’s thermal underwear."
Among the other items required are blankets, sleeping bags, pampers, baby milk, thermal socks for males, first aid equipment and high calorie food bars.
Alongside these are various types of clothing, hygiene products, baby food/milk and ready-made drinks for adults.
Also joining the aid effort is the Buckie Red Cross store manager on West Church Street as part of the charity's wider effort to help those hit hard by the crisis in Ukraine.
Shop manager Jayne Cameron said that while the store was not accepting donations of goods, people could donate cash which would go directly to the campaign.
She said: "Cash donations to your local Red Cross retail shop, calling 0300 023 0820 or visiting www.redcross.org.uk/ukraine are by far the quickest, safest and most direct way to help people and support the work of the Red Cross volunteers in Ukraine and the neighbouring countries.
"Donating money is flexible and means we can get support to people quickly via the Ukraine Red Cross and other partners in border countries.
"Donations to our appeal will be used to support families with food, first aid and medicines, shelter for those who have been displaced and also support for hospitals and healthcare facilities.
"The Red Cross has been supporting people in Ukraine for many years and will not stop now. Your donations really are making a difference, reaching people in urgent need, no matter the amount you give.
"Lastly, a huge thank you to the wonderful local community for their generosity over the last few days. The response has been absolutely brilliant with some amazing generosity."
The Red Cross has been working in the Ukraine since Russia invaded and annexed the Crimea in 2014.
Youngsters at Findochty Primary have been so moved by the tragedy unfolding in Ukraine and beyond its borders that they have decided not only to undertake a collection but also a show of solidarity in the school.
Head teacher Dawn Thomson explained: "The children asked to do something to support the Ukrainian children and refugees in their hour of need.
"As a school we are going to decorate our windows in sunflowers, the national flower of Ukraine, as a mark of support, respect, unity and hope. We are also in the process of sourcing seeds, compost and pots so that we can make ‘Grow Your Own Sunflower’ kits that we will send home with all our children and hopefully sell to our local community. The children all want to do something to show they care!
"We remind all our children that this is not their problem to solve but their kindness and empathy are showing that they are responsible citizens, confident individuals, effective contributors and care about the world they live in. They should not feel guilty about playing, seeing their friends, and doing the things that make them happy."
Mrs Thomson went on to issue a plea for a wide variety of items for men, women and babies, ranging from warm clothing and gloves, baby essentials and toiletries through to torches and batteries, colouring books, pencils, crayons and black marker pens. Donations should be bagged, labelled and handed into the school office.
