Bags of help dropped off at town’s market for war-torn Ukraine
A drop-off morning to collect donations for Ukraine set up at Saturday’s Burbage Farmers’ Market had an “awesome” response.
Members of the public were turning up at the usual venue of the Methodist Church Carpark, Windsor Street “laden” with bags.
It followed a full list of items needed being published on the Burbage Farmers’ Market Facebook page prior to the market.
An organiser said: “The response was awesome, with members of the public laden with carrier bags and boxes of essential items such as nonprescription medicines, nappies, hygiene products, wet wipes, candles, torches and so on.”
In addition, a cash donation is being made by the farmers’ market to Peta, one of the charities which aids family pets left behind in warzones.
Although some families have taken pets with them when fleeing Ukraine, there are many who were unable to do so and some have been placed in animal shelters.
Only last Sunday a civilian lady driving supplies of petfood to one of the shelters was shot dead in her car, said the organiser.
They added: “The items collected at the Burbage Market have been taken to the Salvation Army Donation Centre in Rainbow Way, just off the island on the road from Hinckley to Sketchley Hill, near Johnson’s Drycleaners, who have arrangements in place to get the donations to the border near Ukraine.
“We would like to take the opportunity to make a huge thank you to all who donated at the market and to say donations are still needed urgently.”
They can be taken to the Salvation
Army or one of the other drop-off centres in the area.
“Since we planned our event over a week before we held the market,” said the spokesman, “there has been an exponential growth in the cities in Ukraine of bombing civilian areas, hospitals, and schools, which is against Geneva Convention rules.
“Vladimir Putin creates values for himself and denies universal values. He makes Villanelle from the TV series Killing Eve seem more like a saint in comparison.”
The market was also on Radio Leicester live last Saturday morning, which organisers say helped with their appeal.
“We sincerely hope that the war will be over before our next market, to be held on April 2 and, additionally, our sister market, which is held at Middlefields Farm Moojuice on the third Saturday of each month.”