Six Cambridge drop-off points for goods and medicines to go to Ukraine
Mums4Ukraine has announced six drop-off points for donations for vital goods and medicines destined for Ukraine.
The drop-off points are St Andrew’s Church, Cherry Hinton; Friends Meeting House, Jesus Lane; Westfield House, 30 Huntington Road; Teversham Hope Church, Main Street,Teversham; St Mary’s School, Bateman Street, Cambridge; and Tesco Superstore, Fulbourn where there is a trolley collection during opening hours.
The group was initially started by Agnes Toth and Rend Platings. The hard yards of setting up the collection points was underpinned by Cambridge residents Kathleen Doggett and Justina Watson.
Kathleen told the Cambridge Independent: “When the invasion of Ukraine started and I saw the TV coverage of the masses of refugees fleeing, like lots of people I really wanted to do something to help, but I didn’t know what exactly. So I went online and saw that the Ukrainian society at Cambridge University had a Facebook site, and also that there was a voluntary group, Ukraine Lifeline, that had set up at Pymoor near Ely.
“I volunteered to sort donated goods at Pymoor, but realised that apart from a few collections organised by individuals there was no permanent set-up of established drop-off points in Cambridge – Mums4Ukraine didn’t exist at this point.
“By this time, the University Ukrainians site had expanded to become Cambridge Ukrainians and Friends of Ukraine – it’s a really useful forum for the dissemination of all sorts of information related to Ukraine. It was obvious that people wanted to donate items, judging by the posts on the site.
“So I decided at this point that the best way that I could help was to try to organise the setting up of a series of drop-off points. When I saw what was unfolding in Ukraine I decided that I would initiate the search for and set up possible collection points off my own back.
“I have a friend who gave me a contact in the Methodist church, so I sent an email out to about 70 churches. This led to contact with Cherry Hinton Baptists, and Justyna Watson. She is a mum whose children go to some of their activities. She also worships at the Lutheran Church attached to Westfield House. So we joined forces. It was at that point that Rend asked me to join the official Mums4Ukraine.”
The next shipment is due to be despatched from the UK to Nosivka – “a city northeast of Kyiv which is in dire need of humanitarian assistance – on May 18.
Items in short supply are being requested. They include non-perishable foods, cereal bars, cereals, energy bars and tinned goods, all with long shelf life.
Also in short supply are medicines including painkillers, diarrhoea treatments, first aid bandages, dressings and antiseptic creams. Female toiletries, sanitary items and incontinence products are all welcome.
Baby items are also part of the appeal – nappies, new feeding bottles, formula milk, toiletries, calpol and sudacrem.
Other items include torches, headlamps, thermal flasks, brand new underwear, sleeping bags and blankets.
The way the goods get to Ukraine has been established in previous deliveries.
“I made contact with a Ukrainian lady, Julia Kedziora at Cambourne, who is running another relief group, Stand with Ukraine against War,” Kathleen says. “Through her export business, she has transport contacts. Collected goods are delivered or sent to her storage facility, and when the two containers are full and funds are raised, they are loaded by lorry and sent to Warsaw, where Julia liaises with the mayor of Warsaw.
“Aid is unloaded, and either sent onward via smaller vehicles into Ukraine, or loaded onto empty trains going back into Ukraine and then taken onwards to where it is needed.The need on the ground can change and feedback from Ukraine means that we can respond quickly.”
Details of collection points opening times are listed below.
