HOUSES and community centres across St Helens have become makeshift collection points overnight to support the war effort in Ukraine.
On Saturday, February 26, Polskie Merseyside and other polish groups across the country called on their communities to donate essential items for refugees who are fleeing war-torn Ukraine.
Essential items they have asked for include blankets, toiletries, sanitary products, kids clothes, first aid kits and school supplies.
On Friday, March 4, three lorries full of these donations will leave for the Poland-Ukraine border, predominantly to help mothers and children who were forced to leave their homes after the Russian invasion.
The UN has reported that more than 600,000 civilians have fled Ukraine, with many crossing the border into Poland, Romania, Solvakia, Hungary and Moldova.
Where are the donation centres in St Helens?
With donation centres opening up at St Ann's Millennium Centre in Rainhill, Newton Community Centre, as well as other community groups and homes in St Helens, the response has been described as "overwhelming".
Despite only opening the collection hub in Rainhill this morning (Tuesday, March 1), people from all over St Helens have been to drop off essential items and help in whatever way they can.
Vicky Anders, administrator at St Ann's said: "The response has been overwhelming - it's just really heartening to see.
"So many people have been to drop things off and we've had so many offers of further help."
Similarly, Lisa Hulme, manager of Newton Community Centre said that the support from the local community in just 24 hours has been "phenomenal".
As well as donating essential items, Lisa said that people have also been translating prayers and well-wishes into Ukrainian and dropping them inside blankets and clothes to "send love".
Lisa said: "There has been real emotion when people have been donating here.
"We have had our different community groups donating, people we have never seen and others asking to help or volunteer - it's phenomenal."
Hoping to help another local project, Zuza Kubaszczyk, a polish resident from Moss Bank has been collecting items and receiving donations at her home.
Since calling out for donations online, Zuza said she has had more than 20 families coming out to drop off essential items, while others have sent her cash donations so she can pick up even more items.
Zuza said: "I couldn't really sleep since Thursday. I was so upset and just felt the need to do something
"My grandparents lived through war so I have heard some stories. I couldn't just sit doing nothing - I felt this was my duty to help those poor people."
Adding that the response has been "overwhelming" across St Helens and Merseyside, Zuza appealed for further volunteers to help with the project's transportation.
No Duff UK, a mental health organisation in St Helens is also getting involved in their own project to help the Ukrainian people.
The team have been sent a number of first aid kits, drivers signing up as volunteers, and are asking for further donations to help those injured in the war.
Dean Owen, director at No Duff, said: "Our primary objective is to get medical aid to all who are injured and suffering because of this war."
- St Ann's Millennium Centre is located at View Road, Rainhill and is open from 9:30am-4pm for donations.
- Newton-le-Willows Family & Community Centre is located AT Park Road South and is open from 9am-8:30pm for donations - until Thursday at 1pm
- No Duff UK are located at The Wonderland Centre, Unit 4 Reflections Court and are open for donations from 9am-4:30pm
To donate to Polskie Merseyside and the national PISC collection - which is in need of vehicles to transport the donations - visit this link
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