Holdsworth Financial managing director Simon Holdsworth recounts his experiences on the frontline in Ukraine and why the mortgage industry’s Ukraine Aid fundraiser will do crucial work in the country.
I had been due to take a holiday with my girlfriend to travel across the
US but when we saw the developing crisis in Ukraine we cancelled everything and headed to the Ukraine/Poland border.
The experience has been life changing. With the help and support of clients, business contacts and friends, we were able to raise around £40,000, 100% of which was deployed directly to those in need. One client donated the use of a nine-seater minibus when the supplies donated lead to the need for a larger vehicle than my own car.
Before departure we reached out to hospitals and organisations in Ukraine and the requested medical supplies and equipment were then sourced.
Caxton FX, the currency card and international payment specialists, further supported our efforts by waiving all fees and charges whilst also raising donations from their own clients through a blog that chronicled the trip.
The support we had was humbling and shows how keen people are to support the victims of this crisis. It enabled us to provide aid in a variety of ways ranging from supplying medical equipment, medicines, food, and power banks to hands on support of people seeking shelter in Poland. My partner, Alice, was a Paramilitary Medic Volunteer in Italy for many years and her knowledge enabled us to ensure the Aid we sourced was suitable for the needs on the ground.
Once at the border, we saw that much of the work was being done by the smaller NGOs and groups of volunteers from all over the world. We saw that many of the bigger names were either not there or not active.
One particular group, Paracrew Norway, were especially notable for their ability to get essential aid to the hotspots using a network of volunteer drivers to take supplies directly from the hands of donors to the hands of those in need.
The trip went from being a two-week plan to a full month at the border crossing point in Medyka, Poland, the busiest crossing for refugees from Ukraine into Poland.
Working directly with the refugees has left a permanent mark. We supported a group of women and children who were in temporary accommodation sleeping on the floor of a school. We took them to the shops to buy food and supplies – they had all been forced to leave their lives behind. One 15-year-old lad only had the shoes he had escaped in. One of the women had been a victim of sexual assault whilst escaping the war, another had walked so far, her shoes had fallen apart on her feet.
We replaced the worn-out shoes and clothing and saw smiles return to faces that had previously had trauma etched across them. It just showed how even a modest amount can change a life.
Another time I saw a group of four Ukrainians looking slightly lost and went over to offer support. The group was made up of an elderly couple, a boy and a young woman; the boy looked about 16 and the woman in her early 20s. They were grandparents and grandchildren, and they were saying their goodbyes at the border. They all wept and hugged before the grandparents returned to Ukraine, leaving the grandchildren to join the refugees seeking shelter in Poland. They had no idea if they would ever meet again.
Having seen what is happening with my own eyes, I’m looking forward to supporting Ukraine Aid on 30 June at the Lafayette Concert Auditorium in Kings Cross.
I am so impressed by what Kevin Duffy of Mortgageforce and our industry are doing with It this event – it’s great to see how mortgage industry figures and firms are coming together to contribute to a crisis situation.
If we all pull together and hit or exceed the fund-raising goal then I know it will benefit thousands of lives. The contacts we have made over the last month will help ensure the money raised goes directly to where it is most required.”
To enquire about sponsorship opportunities for the event interested parties should contact Michelle Barraclough at [email protected]
For more details of the work of Paracrew please go to www.paracrew.org