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Daily Record
Daily Record
National
Andrea Lambrou

Lanarkshire folk rally to support local humanitarian aid effort for Ukranians fleeing war

A Lanarkshire farm helping to provide humanitarian aid for Ukranians fleeing war has been "overwhelmed" with donations.

The Heron Farm Shop & Kitchen appealed for emergency supplies for 100,000 refugees who have been displaced to Poland following the Russian invasion.

On February 24, President Vladimir Putin launched a large-scale invasion of Ukraine - the largest conventional warfare operation in Europe since World War II.

The devastating attack has shattered peace in Europe, with thousands of the country's 44 million population fleeing the country without access to drinking water or basic facilities. The UN Refugee Agency says nearly 150,000 have left the country since Russia's invasion began in the early hours of Thursday.

Appealing for clothes, blankets, duvets, sleeping bags, toys, nappies and canned food to help families devastated by war, the team at The Heron acted as a drop-point for their team at Mossgiel Organic Farm in Ayrshire, who launched the drive.

Heron Farm Shop owner Angus and daughter Katie sort through the donations (East Kilbride News)

The Mauchline farm has taken in a whopping three artic lorries worth of stuff, which is going straight to Europe this week to help those most in need.

Staff members Konrad and Olga, who are originally from Poland, are organising the effort to send lorries full of donated supplies to refugees who desperately need their help.

The Heron Farm owner Emma Smith told Lanarkshire Live they had to turn people away after collecting enough donations to fill "three or four lorries".

She said: "After watching the horrendous situation unfold on the news our team felt very passionately about wanting to do something to help.

"We put a post out on Saturday which got shared 250 times overnight giving an indication of how everyone is feeling at the moment.

Heron's Ukraine aid organiser Fran Marshall (East Kilbride News)

"In just 24 hours we were overwhelmed with donations - from toys, clothing, toiletries and canned food to bedding and nappies. A lot of it is newly bought as well.

"So much so that Mossgiel couldn't actually fit any more in their snug cafe and had to lay it all out on the pavement, so we loaded a trailer and took it to the depot in Paisley where the lorry is leaving from.

"We could actually have filled three or four lorries so we're now starting to think about how we can coordinate the rest of the donations."

Bryce Cunningham of Mossgiel Farm with bags of supplies bound for Ukraine (Kilmarnock Standard)

Donations came in from Lanarkshire, Ayrshire and beyond with big-hearted folk, some of whom with family ties to Ukraine or Poland, travelling up to 40 minutes to show their support.

Pet Empawrium pet supplies in East Kilbride, have also pitched in as a collection point.

Owner Sara Najafian has been loading up her van with donations headed for the Ayrshire farm and delivering loads to a newly-formed collection in Sandford.

Emma added: "There were bags and bags of stuff, our barn was overflowing. I was really quite emotional, it brought home just how good people are in a crisis.

"Things are changing all the time, collections getting full and new ones popping up - such amazing community spirit and desire to help. Strathaven has always been a great community.

Pet Empawrium owner Sara Najafian was overwhelmed with donations from the people of East Kilbride (East Kilbride News)

"This war feels very close to home. We're watching fathers having to say goodbye to their children, it's like something out of World War II.

"Thanks to the power of social media we can do something to help."

Director and farmer at Mossgiel, Bryce Cunningham, said they wanted to help out the Ukraine crisis "in any way they could."

He said: “We just sort of decided we wanted to do our bit, and it’s went a bit crazy!

“We have been taking donations for a couple of days, and at one point the village was actually gridlocked.

“We have been supported unbelievably well, our aim was to fill an artic lorry, and we have managed to fill three so far, it has been quite incredible, absolutely amazing.

“The response from the public has been pretty overwhelming at times to be honest."

Bryce added: “The lorry that left on Monday morning is on its way to Poland to help refugees.

A wounded woman is seen after an airstrike damaged an apartment complex in city of Chuhuiv, Kharkiv Oblast, Ukraine on February 24, 2022. (Wolfgang Schwan/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

“There’s a lorry leaving on Wednesday is going directly to Ukraine into the warzone to help injured people and families who can’t leave.

“It’s awful what’s happening, for something like this to happen in our life time is unbelievable really, it’s great to see everyone getting behind the cause.

“It shows the spirit of people, we have got such a fantastic Polish and Ukrainian community in Scotland too, they are great people, it’s our time to help them out.”

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