Kintyre supports Ukraine
Kintyre has begun collecting emergency supplies for refugees as women and children flee from Ukraine amid Russia’s military invasion.
Mandy Robertson, of youth support charity The Hub, is coordinating efforts to gather donations which will be transported to Glasgow by courier AM Transport.
Organisers are appealing for items for children, including baby formula, milk bottles, nappies, wipes and creams, children’s medications and other essentials. They would also welcome sleeping bags, blankets, mats, tents, torches, candles, power banks, thermal underwear, warm/weatherproof clothing, first aid kits, medications and bandages.
Donations can be left at The Hub’s premises on Kinloch Road – if no one is there, items can be left at the door or, especially if medical supplies are included, at Aqualibrium, also on Kinloch Road.
For those outwith Campbeltown, donations can dropped off at Carradale Fire Station, Glenbarr Stores or Clachan Filling Station.
‘Huge thanks to AM Transport and everyone who has offered help so far,’ said Mandy. ‘What a wonderful wee community we have.’
Prime Minster Boris Johnson has condemned the invasion of Ukraine, branding it ‘hideous and barbaric’. Russian President Vladimir Putin continues to describe it as a ‘special military operation’ but Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky, who has remained to lead the defence of his country, has described Russia as a ‘terrorist state’ after attacks on non-military targets.
The UK has placed increasing sanctions against Russia, in particular on the country’s politicians, officials and oligarchs, banks and financial services, and businesses and trade.
It has also imposed a flight ban on Russian planes and, on Tuesday, banned Russian ships from UK ports. On Monday, during a discussion at Westminster about UK sanctions, Argyll and Bute MP Brendan O’Hara said: ‘The Russian state-owned oil tanker NS Century is berthed at the Finnart Oil Terminal on Loch Long, a port adjacent to RNAD Coulport where the UK’s nuclear arsenal is stored and which the Russian ship would have sailed within a few hundred yards of to reach Finnart.’
Foreign Secretary Liz Truss responded: ‘They won’t be going about their business freely much longer.’
This week, Alastair MacGregor, chief executive of Argyll Community Housing Association (ACHA), revealed he has contacted First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, offering the association’s help in providing relief housing for refugees.
‘I have intimated to the First Minister that ACHA is willing to help by providing housing accommodation,’ Mr MacGregor said, ‘and that we have some experience of this when in 2015 we provided housing for refugees fleeing Syria’s civil war.
‘While Scotland has its own housing pressures, there can be nothing much worse than fleeing your home from the threat of death and tyranny.’
‘There can be nothing much worse than fleeing your home from the threat of death and tyranny.’