Fylde Appeal for Ukraine organiser so grateful as thousands of items are donated

Picture by Julian Brown /JPIMedia 05/03/22

Volunteers at the Lytham Institute with goods collected to help people in Ukraine — Picture by Julian Brown /JPIMedia 05/03/22 Volunteers at the Lytham Institute with goods collected to help people in Ukraine

Lytham Institute was opened at the weekend for a wide range of items, from blankets to batteries, to be haneded over for the appeal, which is backed by Fylde Council and the Bobby Ball Foundation charity.

The items which were collected will be ferried off by road, via a regional centre in Manchester, later this week to go to Poland, which borders Ukraine and to where more than a million refugees have fled following the invasion of Ukraine by Russia.

Fylde Aid For Ukraine organiser Matthew Paczkowski said: “We have been absolutely overwhelmed with the level of support we’ve received this weekend.

READ MOR E: Bobby Ball Foundation appealing to Fylde folk to help the people of Ukraine with vital donations.

“We had more than 50 volunteers helping out over the two days sorting through the donated goods at Lytham Institute which were then transferred to our warehouse team who have been working tirelessly to get everything packed correctly ready to be transported to Poland on Wednesday.

“The level of support with donations from the people of the Fylde has been tremendous. We’ve had literally thousands of essential items donated from toiletries, baby products, batteries and power banks to sleeping bags, airbeds, bedding and towels. The list is huge and we are eternally grateful to every single person who has helped and donated.

“In addition, our Just Giving page now stands at more than £6,500 of cash donations and people can still donate here: www.justgiving.com/campaign/FyldeAidForUkraine

Former EastEnders actress Chery Fergison,who volunteered at the coillection,

“The kindness of the people of the Fylde has blown us all over. Everyone is horrified by what is happening in the Ukraine but we really are experiencing the best of people here who just want to do what they can to help in this very, very sad situation.”

Matthew, who grew up in Poland and still has family over there, was joined at the collection centre in the former library building by a host of volunteers, including the former EastEnders actress Cheryl Fergison, who lives locally.