Volunteers pull together to help war refugees

Kind-hearted volunteers have been sorting through donations for the past week after generous locals responded with vigour to an appeal to help refugees from Ukraine arriving in Poland.

Marls Humphries, who lives near Gilmerton, originally put out feelers on social media to see what help Strath residents could give as Russia’s

President Putin escalated his invasion of Ukraine.

Marls set up a Facebook page – Tayside and Strathearn Help for Ukraine – and joined forces with Perth-based Polish Scout Group ZHP.

Donations of essential items began flooding in, as well as offers of help from businesses.

Morris Leslie Auctions at Errol supplied a warehouse, where more than 200 people worked to sort, categorise, weigh and load donations on to pallets, four lorry-loads of which have already made their way to Poland.

The first consignment left Perthshire on Wednesday last week and arrived at the Polish border with Ukraine 24 hours later.

Lending a hand Iain Hansen loading up from the Comrie collection point at the Ancaster Arms

Innovative Sasha Brunton and Caroline Greene have developed a technique for vacuum-packing bulky duvets

Teamwork Glenalmond College fifth and sixth-year pupils helping out

Helping out Katy and Jane Cepok of Strathearn Pony Club

Kind-hearted Volunteer Sarah Mackintosh

Strath spirit Kirsten Millar and Margaret Marlow load up in Muthill with John O’Donnell, who provided a collection point at the village’s Commercial Hotel

Getting involved Sorting through some of the donations in Errol prior to them being sent to Poland, which borders Ukraine

Doing their bit Crieff Co-op has been praised for providing a collection point as well as an HGV to get donations on the road

Coordinating efforts Comrie Community Council’s Lindsay Brown