Back in England...

....where it has been cold and wet for 2 months; but a few days after our return has seen the arrival of an "Indian summer." It's the time of heather on the moors, reminding us of how beautiful our other home is, as well as Ukraine.

It has been really good to catch up with family and friends, and with the Ukrainians we helped to settle under the Homes for Ukraine sponsorship scheme last year. Some have returned to Ukraine, but many have been here a year or longer. The majority of those who stayed are independent now, with jobs and their own rented accommodation. Their children are doing well, in the village school and Park High School in Colne.

Yesterday was the turn of one of the families in our house, who moved ino a rented cottage in Trawden. We helped them a little, with a few items from our house and ferrying things over in our car. But most of the support came from the local community, which rallied around with offers of furniture, pots and pans, etc. We wish them health and continued peace in their new home.

Although we have been back over a week, we continue to think of Ukraine, daily, especially our friends in Kherson, who continue to endure shelling, 24/7, resulting in deaths most days.

Children returned to school in Ukraine today - those that could. The education department is funding the development of safe places for children to learn, although this will take time to put in place. There is some imaginative thinking, e.g. making classroom spaces in the subway (underground railway) in Kharkiv. But for children who live close to the frontline, as in Kherson, education will continue to be online.

The ongoing dire situation, for children and adults in Kherson, is the reason for us returning there, despite the risks. We plan to continue delivering humanitarian aid - food, hygiene products, incontinence pads, whatever the need is - at least once a week. We have had some generous donations, from individual supporters and our local community, which we're so grateful for. These donations will allow us to start purchasing, and delivering, needed items as soon as we return.

I say we, but I'll actually be returning 2 weeks after Bob, who leaves on 9 September, because of a passport issue. Bob will be picking up some aid on his return journey, hopefully in Krakow and Ternopil, including some more medical aid. I'll be driving a car, kindly donated by our American friends, from Krakow to Odesa, destined for Kherson to enable community leaders to deliver aid more safely.

During this next chapter, we plan to give more English lessons - to children and adults - in Odesa and Kherson. We'll try to source much-needed books for children.

We won't forget the animals who suffer because of the war - we have specific donations to purchase dog and cat food, which we'll take to people who look after abandoned and injured animals in Kherson.

Finally, today saw Bob's annual lavender harvest in our front garden.