Rochdale pulls together for Ukraine

People across the Rochdale borough have come out in force to support those caught up in the growing humanitarian crisis in Ukraine.

Over 2million people have fled Ukraine in the wake of the Russian invasion last month, according to the UN.

Last Wednesday, volunteers held the first Help for Ukraine collection event at the Norden Old Library, collecting supplies to send to Polish borders. In just two hours, enough was collected to completely fill a large van with offers of more still coming.

At the Norden Area Forum a collection was held, raising a further £90 in cash donations, which has been passed to the Rochdale Ukrainian Club towards their appeal.

 

 

Norden ward councillor, Peter Winkler has been coordinating with the Association of Ukrainians in Great Britain (AUGB) and a number of aid convoys across the north west to make sure that donations get to refugee areas as quickly as possible.

Speaking about the initial response, Councillor Winkler said: “It has just been incredible; we have been so overwhelmed by the generosity of local people wanting to do their bit to help these people who are such a desperate situation.

“We have collected thousands of items which have been sorted by our incredible volunteers and these have gone directly to convoy trucks to be shipped out. 

“We are working very closely with convoy organisers so that items are deployed quickly and not left sitting in storage facilities, these items are needed so desperately, time is of the essence.

“I want to personally thank everyone who helped and donated, the Norden Co-op for the crates that they donated, the Bury Black Pudding Company for the use of their vehicles, the trustees at Norden Old Library for use of the facilities, coaches and players from Rochdale Rugby Club for helping out with the heavy lifting and of course the amazing volunteers who come to sort out items during the collection.

“It has been a massive group effort, but I know it will make such a difference.”

 

 

 

 

 

The Rochdale Ukrainian Donations Hub at Singleton’s Dance Academy in Rochdale has been overwhelmed with donations and is now not accepting donations due to being full to capacity.

Volunteers are still needed to help sort through goods and wrap pallets.

The first truck collecting donations arrived on Tuesday (8 March).

 

 

Lily-May Boutique in Heywood has stopped accepting donations as it now has “three rooms full to bursting” whilst Reuse Littleborough has also been inundated with donations.

Founder Michael Bamford said he has been “humbled” by the massive response.

Across the UK, generosity has been such that some donation centres have been so inundated with items that they have called for a short pause to allow them to move items out before more can be taken in.