From Cambourne with love: Amazing volunteer aid for Ukraine
The Stand with Ukraine Against War Foundation is one of many groups to have emerged since February 24 to provide life-saving services to those living in Ukraine.
The foundation depends on groups of volunteers, and Cambourne-based Julia Kedziora is one of them.
Julia runs Impact Furniture, which is based in Great Gransden.
“Being Ukrainian and having a desire to help, I thought it was only right to utilise already established relationships and pathways to ensure aid is delivered to Ukraine,” she says. “I have access to storage, distribution contacts and manpower of my staff.
“We run a drop-off point at The Hub, and collected goods for the last lorry from the residents and business in Cambourne and nearby areas.
“Cambourne Town Council is still accepting donations on our behalf at The Hub during office opening hours.”
Impact Furniture has a long-standing working relationship with a transport agency, QLS Group, in Poland, as well as export agents and storage facilities.
QLS is based in Poland and is run by Kamila Kaliszewska. A hub was set up to accept clothes and other donations in Cambourne and ship them out to Poland, explains Kamila, a mother of two.
“ I live in Poland. For the past three years I have been working for Quality Logistics Service Sp z oo, in Białystok.
“I met Julia from Stand with Ukraine Against War Foundation while organising transports for Impact Furniture with whom I have cooperated for around 2.5 years.
“When the war started Julia told me she is Ukrainian and I didn’t know that so we spoke about how we can help and Julia opened the foundation and we started cooperating.
“Julia established her foundation and I decided to help organise transport. Through my connections I have managed to obtain lower quotes for vehicles carrying humanitarian aid for Ukraine
“By using my contacts and opportunities, I have been able to reduce the costs of transports by as much as 40-50 per cent just to help our friends from Ukraine.
“So far we have organised three transports with Julia and we are planning another one soon. I am very proud of myself that I could contribute to helping Ukraine.
“It was a lot of crises to start with but it went OK and we have become great friends. We bring the goods over from England then put them in a private car and drive to the Poland-Ukraine border. There, we load everything into a private Ukrainian car and it goes directly to Kyiv.
“Julia’s work is amazing and the donations are amazing.”
Donations for the shipments have been made by organisations and individuals including Cert Brands, Kathleen Doggett of Cambridge Ukrainians and Supporters of Ukraine, Stourbridge Community Ukrainian Response, Emma and Paul at Old Swinford Hospital School, and Seema Achall, a community champion at Morrisons Cambourne.
“None of the above would have happened if the donations were not received from countless sponsors and individuals,” says Julia. “This operation is only made possible by the kindhearted people willing to donate their time, money, goods and expertise to help others.
“The world is a better place because of it and it is humbling to witness.”
