Are you any use in Ukraine?

And your blog is boring. One of our close neighbours said this to Fiona. I will overlook the rudeness of this and look at the question.

It is really good to review what you are doing, especially as we have been out of the country doing this for over 5 months now. We are constantly reviewing the work we are do. Fiona has worked for VSO, and the guiding principle of that organisation is that if you are doing no good, get out.

In brief, so far, we have found sponsors and placed 40 families in the UK, many around the Trawden and Dorset area. 

At the monthly support meeting yesterday of Ukrainian families and sponsors, in the community centre in Trawden, we were able to meet with some of the families we have helped. We were humbled by the number of people who came up to us to say that, without you, none of this would have happened. 

There are literally no other people going around the refugee centres doing what we are doing.

Over the 5 months that we have been there we have made many contacts with small organisations that, unlike many big ones, actually get things done, in supplying humanatairian aid right to the front line.

So far we have provided over £5000 in aid.

We have also obtained and paid over £1000 for children's books.

We are also continuing to provide nearly 200 kilos of fruit to the refugee centre each week to children and older people.

I give, with Fiona's help, free English lessons for both children and adults 3 days a week.

Then, finally, there is the intangible and unquantifiable benefit of us being there. We are now well known in the refugee centre and we spend time listening to families who have lost everything, who are making incredibly difficult decisions as to what to do next. We listen, we give information, and try to support them with the decisions they make.

For the first two months we worked in the food tent, distributing and making meals. At one point I was, with other volunteers, preparing over 1200 hot meals a day, including meat, vegetables and salad.

All this is not to blow our trumpet, but to try and show what it's like being a volunteer out there. There are good days and challenging days, where the sadness and emotions are on the surface. 

As to the blog......it is what it is.....it will not become more exciting. This is mainly about the people we meet day in, day out.

Theirs is not an exciting story, but one of having lost everything. Want excitement, read novels.

We are starting to plan for our return and, yes, we are reviewing what and where and in which way we will be trying to support Ukraine.