Polish Community in Havering provide front line support to Ukrainian children fleeing war.

The House of Polish Community in Havering have taken no time in organising relief for some of the most vulnerable refugees escaping Ukraine because of the Russian Invasion. Working with a number of orphanages and hospitals on the boarder of Ukraine and Poland the community are collecting requested essential supplies and driving them there to ensure essential aid is not in short supply.

The wider community of Romford have supported the campaign with businesses such as Storky Baby and Children donating warm socks and hats for infants, and Romford Market traders putting money together to buy a large supply of children’s medicine to send. Cash donations are also welcome, with Aysgarth print generously donating funds for the Polish volunteers to buy from daily updated lists sent from the hospitals and children’s homes. 

The collection has been set up by Harold Hill resident Alicja who runs the House of Polish Community. She says,

“We are so happy that people are donating to help us, and so grateful for our community of Polish volunteers. I come from a small town on the East of Poland near Lithuania and already there are thousands of refugees that need help there. We hope we can get more donations for these people who have had their lives turned upside down.”

If you would like to donate, the group are looking for specific items that the hospitals and orphanages are in short supply of, including:

• Baby food
• Sanitary products 
• Nappies (all sizes)
• Sudocrem / Nappy creams
• Children’s pain killers, including children’s paracetamol / Ibuprofen (e.g. Calpol)
• Baby formula
• Canned food
• Children specific products – e.g. children’s toothpaste & shampoo

They are also collecting small toys to bring to the children, who would have been through huge trauma on their way to safety. Donations can be dropped off to HOPEC on level 2 of The Mercury Shopping Centre between 10am – 4pm on Tuesday – Friday’s where there will be multilingual volunteers.

If you would like to support the effort by volunteering or you would like to make a donation, please contact Alicja at: info@hopec.org.uk