A busy Polish couple living in Caton have raised thousands of pounds for the Ukraine relief effort.
Despite working, taking care of a young family and a menagerie of rescued dogs and cats, Anna and Maciek Dobras wanted to help the people of Ukraine and have put a massive effort into providing humanitarian aid and support.
They set up the group Caton & Friends for Ukraine, and so far have raised more than £4,000 in cash and Just Giving donations, and brought together hundreds of volunteers, not only in Caton, but across the Lancaster District. They have also involved local businesses, churches and schools as well as linking up with volunteers and charities in London and Poland.
So far four vans have delivered essential supplies to the Ukraine/Poland border and a fifth van delivered items for children including 11 boxes of art and craft materials and 178 children's gift packs to a charity in Lodz caring for 120 refugee children. There were also cards and messages from 8 local schools which were delivered to the local authority in Lodz to be distributed to young refugees in the region.
Another van is due to set off towards the end of March and the group is focusing on collecting medical supplies for the hospital in Lviv. Maciek works in the health sector and is co-ordinating this. He welcomes offers of medical items or financial donations towards the cost of buying them.
Anna, who works with the homeless, also speaks Russian so has been communicating with Russian speaking Ukrainians who may consider coming to the UK under the government sponsorship scheme.
The Caton & Friends for Ukraine group will continue to provide essential supplies to Poland and Ukraine but it is also focusing on the support it can provide to refugees once they arrive here. Group members are offering a number things such as befriending, socialising, translation, help with accessing health care, benefits or employment, transport, etc. The group will continue to support the people of Ukraine, adapting its work and activities depending on the ongoing needs of the Ukrainian people, both in Ukraine and in the UK.
An information evening is being held at 6pm this coming Friday, 1st April at Caton Baptist Church and is open to anyone who is interested. A representative from Lancaster City Council will also be attending to talk about the role of the local authority.
You can find out more information on their Facebook page here
Morecambe Promenade will NOT close during £2.6m electricity works
Thumbs up for design changes marks start of "transformative year" for Eden Project Morecambe
Bolton-le-Sands pensioner, 81, targeted in telephone courier fraud banking scam
LISTEN: Up to 200 homes between Slyne and Bolton-le-Sands refused
Volunteers plant 120 native trees at Royal Lancaster Infirmary as part of major nature recovery project
Celebrating 25 years since opening of Lancaster’s iconic Millennium Bridge
Lorry driver flees scene as teenagers suffer serious injuries in M6 collision near Lancaster
Autism and ADHD referrals paused across Lancaster and Morecambe Bay over high demand
Uber granted operators licence for Lancaster district
Appeal to find relatives as memorial benches to be removed near Eden Project Morecambe site
Lancaster branch of Lloyds bank to close this summer
Child's trike stolen from garden in Morecambe is found after police appeal
Rock star John Waite proud of Lancaster roots on visit to home city
Morecambe and Heysham pubs win big at Lancashire Tourism Awards
First spades in the ground at Morecambe school's pioneering eco-garden
Morecambe FC Director of Fan Engagement resigns
65 e-bikes and e-scooters seized in three months during Lancaster district crackdown
Police appeal for theft of calculators from Lancaster stationers
Major investment announced for Williamson Park
Calls for public consultation into ward closure plans at Lancaster hospital
