Oban rallies to help Ukrainian refugees
Many came out to join the vigil on Sunday evening at Station Square, standing in solidarity with the Ukrainians here and around the world.
Horrified at Russia’s assault on the Ukrainian people, Oban is again rallying to do what they can to ease people’s suffering, with one woman organising essential donations to be sent to the country, while ACHA’s chief executive has intimated to the First Minister that the association is willing to do all it can to help with refugees fleeing to safety.
Emergency help from Oban is reaching out across the miles to help refugees fleeing from Ukraine.
Oban woman Shauna MacKenzie is organising collections of donations for those in desperate need, while a family living near Tighnabruaich have launched a £1,000 appeal to buy essential medicines – and have handed-over their one bedroom flat in Poland to shelter two desperate mothers with four teenagers.
On Sunday there was a vigil in Station Square, Oban, to show support.
ACHA’s chief executive Alastair MacGregor has also contacted Scotland’s First Minister intimating the association is willing to help provide housing here for those escaping the war.
Mr MacGregor told The Oban Times he had emailed Nicola Sturgeon asking the Scottish Government to ‘do all it can’ to coordinate relief housing for refugees from Ukraine, with Scotland’s 30plus local authorities and more than 180 housing associations.
‘Between local authority and housing associations they have a stock of 596,000 homes across Scotland, and although most of them are occupied, vacancies would be an area of potential assistance,’ he said.
And added: ‘I have intimated to the First Minister that ACHA is willing to help by providing housing accommodation and that we have some experience of this in the past 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.’
Renata and Stanislaw Arczynski, who have lived in Kilfinan near Tighnabruaich for five years and work on the Otter Estate, have launched their own appeal to get medicines including painkillers, cough syrups and nappy cream to refugees.
Members of their family who live in Wroclaw, Poland, have helped provide extra mattresses, food, some money and internet access to help the families who are sheltering in their small flat which they have turned into urgent shelter.
Mum-of-two Renata said: ‘Every person we know is doing what they can to help. Some people volunteer in collection points, some are donating whatever is needed, many people are driving to the border to collect random, unknown people to help them relocate or to take them to their own houses.
‘But the real problem is at the borders. Currently people are awaiting in queues for up to 65 hours while the temperature outside is below zero. Women and kids are vulnerable in those queues. Many kids have fever, hypothermia and other life-threatening problems. Kids have nappy burns after a couple of days in the same nappies.
‘We decided to try to raise some money in Scotland to help those wee ones. We’re spending every minute we can reading posts on Facebook to find out what is most needed.’
Stanley said they are heartbroken hearing stories from refugees who have made it to Wroclaw – there are many families stuck in Ukraine who are too scared to try to escape Ukraine and are hiding out in basements.
‘Our guests in our flat were asking about internet connection because they want to convince their friends that they have to escape. We hear many requests for helmets and bulletproof vests for civilians, but we decide to focus on medical aid. I have many friends who can buy and deliver it to the border, but we need to send money,’ said Stanley.
Stanley and Renata’s appeal can be found here www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/ stanislaw-arczynski.
North Connel mum Shauna MacKenzie set up the Oban Helps Ukraine Facebook page and is co-ordinating collection points across the Oban area.
Rockfield Centre huts are taking donations today (March 3) and this Saturday and Sunday between 11am and 3pm. Taynuilt Sports Pavilion is open for donations also on Saturday and Sunday from 10am to 1pm. Barcaldine’s Racer Cafe is accepting donations on both those days from 11am to 2pm. And the Creagan Inn near Appin has also agreed to be a drop-off point.
Donated goods will be sent to a warehouse in Glasgow where trucks are leaviing for the Polish/Ukrainian border, with hopes to get aid further into the stricken country.
On Monday Shauna told us she had been put in touch with a Ukrainian woman in Glasgow who is co-ordinating an aid mission from there.
She added: ‘We are getting on the back of that. We don’t know how long our help will be needed but I’ll keep updating the Facebook page. For now the most needed items are flasks, hot water bottles, menswear and blankets.’
On Tuesday she added: ‘A big huge thank you to everyone for helping organise this with me. You are all amazing and I can’t tell you how grateful I am for every single offer of support, van drivers, volunteers, drop off points and all the offers of donations from individuals and businesses.
‘It’s amazing what a small community can achieve when we all work together! It looks like we will have our first truck load heading to Glasgow Monday morning.
‘If anyone knows any Ukranians living locally please do invite them to join this group or ask them to pop in to talk to some of the volunteers at the Rockfield huts, it would be great to have their input and to know if there are any other ways we can offer assistance.’
For a video of Sunday’s vigil, visit www.obantimes.co.uk