Fermanagh collections take place in aid of crisis in Ukraine

There is a great sense of togetherness as many people have donated essentials to be sent to aid those who have been impacted by the ongoing war with donations heading direct to Ukraine and to the Polish refugee camps alongside the Ukraine Border.

Monika Pochylska has been helping co-ordinate some of the efforts in Enniskillen and across the west of Northern Ireland.

She said: “I have many friends living in Ukraine and since Russia invaded Ukraine, they have been active on social media and we wanted to help them.

She said: “The girls who work in the Polish shop and the ladies from Osborne & Co are taking the collections, boxing everything and doing all that. We are then collecting everything off them and this is one project, we will take the collections and organise one huge transport to Belfast.

“On the first day of collection both Polish shops were only open for few hours and the space in both shops was filled completely and quickly. We were so overwhelmed, so we sent the first van to Belfast on Monday and that took everything from Strabane, Omagh, Enniskillen and the surrounding area.”

She explained that some of the objects are destined for different areas.

Monika said: “The situation is changing constantly so the first plan was to take everything to refugee centres in Poland but at the moment the situation has changed with supplies heading to Poland but now they will be sent straight to Ukraine. There is a huge need for all that inside Ukraine as centres there are not doing too well at the minute.”

Commenting on the response, Monika said: “People are just amazing, there are ladies aged 80 coming with bags of baby essentials and they are crying because they can’t believe what is happening [in Ukraine].”

She also expressed gratitude to Barbara Mitoraj who operates the Polski Sklep Basia in Enniskillen.

Agnieszka Mitoraj (left) and Andzelika Pawlowska-Zdunik at the Polski Sklep Basia on New Street, Enniskillen where there people have been dropping off donations to send to Ukraine.

Sports clubs, businesses and community groups have all got behind the effort to support those in Ukraine and many will continue the effort until tomorrow (Friday)

One of those who got behind the effort was Raymond Ginn, Kesh who organised a drop off point at his business, Craft at Studio 51.

Speaking to The Impartial Reporter while dropping off a van load of goods in Enniskillen. Raymond said: “There has been a pleasing reaction, I started because no one had begun a drop off point in Kesh and I wanted to make a local point for people to drop off stuff.

“There is one van load already and there could be another van load or two based on what people have pledged to give.”

Raymond has placed a sign on the road which attracted a lot of attention to those who drove past and made them aware of what is happening. There had also been additional support from schools, churches and community groups sharing details of the drop-off on Facebook.

He added: “It is good to see it in the community, everyone pulls together in times like this.”

Raymond Ginn with the van load of donations he dropped of at the UUP office in Enniskillen which will be sent ot Ukraine.