A BIG thank you has been expressed by Ukrainians for support given to them by Wokingham residents over the past few weeks.
Now, the appeal is for financial support ahead of the arrival of refugees fleeing Putin’s illegal invasion of the European country.
The Reading Ukrainian Community Centre in Sidmouth Street has been the focal point for donations of clothing, medical supplies, sanitary items, and toys. So much was donated that the centre has had to ask for people to stop giving items, and instead give cash.
On Sunday, the centre held a small thanksgiving event so that MPs, council leaders and centre members could be acknowledged for their support.
Among the attendees was Reading West MP Alok Sharma, Reading East MP Matt Rodda, Reading Borough mayor Cllr Rachel Eden, and Cllr Jason Brock and Cllr John Halsall, the council leaders for Reading and Wokingham respectively.
At the start of the gathering, there was a short time of prayer and reflection, led by Father Stan Gibziński, parish priest of Our Lady of Peace and Blessed Dominic Barberi and Catholic chaplain to the University of Reading. His prayers included moments of silence to remember those who had lost their lives.
The Ukrainian centre’s chair, Tony Gresko, then summarised the collections.
“Last week, we called out to the people of Reading to donate aid to Ukraine. We were overwhelmed by kindness and generosity,” he said.
Medical items were packed into an ambulance which left for Ukraine on Saturday, March 12, while earlier on the Sunday, the second shipment of essential clothing and goods left the centre.
“Each shipment is getting more difficult and dangerous to deliver,” Mr Gresko said. “But we are doing everything we can to track the safety of our drivers.”
And on the sheer quantity of donations, he said: “We were inundated with boxes … we weren’t expecting so much kindness. I would like to thank the public for the overwhelming support to my amazing team.”
He called for the government to do more to help the situation in Ukraine, including helping refugees, but also thanked them for the support it had given.
“I urge you both MPs, please go back and see whether NATO can protect our skies, protect our people, protect Ukrainian troops working alongside NATO,” he said, adding his gratitude that he could live in a democracy where he had free speech and could be critical of government.
Wokingham Borough Council leader John Halsall spoke briefly, pledging the necessary support for anyone fleeing Ukraine.
“Unfortunately, none of us got very much notice to create the architectures to welcome, potentially, a huge number of refugees,” he said. “But we’ve got a huge number of officers working out the details of how to do it, and where to do it, and what it means in terms of housing, safeguarding, schools, languages, and jobs.
“We’re really waiting to hear from the government as to when we’re operating.”
And in her speech Cllr Rachel Eden, the mayor of Reading, said an appeal would be set up in the coming days to ensure the Ukrainian Centre has the funds it needed to support.
“I know that Reading will, as we always do, stand ready to welcome people, and I know the Reading Ukrainian Community Centre will be at the heart of that.”
