More Oban help on way to Ukraine
More aid for Ukraine is still to come from Oban and its islands, writes Kathie Griffiths.
In a space of 13 days, the Oban Helps Ukraine appeal collected six full vans and 18 pallets of essential and lifesaving supplies.
Shauna MacKenzie, who started the Oban Helps Ukraine appeal on Facebook, says there is still more work to be done.
She added: ‘I’m so proud of our amazing, kind and generous communities that rallied together.’
So far the appeal has also donated £250 to Disasters Emergency Committee and more than £700 to various fuel funds to cover the cost of getting the aid to Ukraine.
And more than 100 boxes of clothing have been collected through the appeal, ready to be donated to a refugee charity.
‘A massive thank-you to everyone who has made this happen. Every volunteer that has packed boxes and transported goods, every business and individual that has held collections and donated goods or money,’ added Oban mumof-two Shauna.
On the latest thank-you list were George Gray and MacLennan Motors for their patience and expertise, the Rockfield Centre, Mhairi Ross, Alice Barr, Elspeth Reid and Christine Fox for being ‘all round amazing, jumping straight in and getting the job done’, Graham West and Go Naked Veg for delivering aid to Glasgow, MGS Logistics for providing a lorry and a ‘huge big thank-you to MacQueen Bros for providing everything from boxes, containers, pallets and forklifts to time and knowledge.’
Shauna said: ‘Oban helps Ukraine is not over yet! We still have work to do and fundraisers in the pipeline so please watch this space!’
One fundraiser coming up on Saturday April 23 is a dinner dance at Soroba House starting at 6.45pm and including a raffle and silent auction. Tickets will be £30, which includes a pre-dinner drink, three-course dinner and live music. Interested in going or donating a prize or auction lot? Contact organiser Jacinta Bennett on the Oban Helps Ukraine Facebook page.
And Lauren Henderson, who runs her Lauren Bakes Cakes business in Oban, has just sent off a £2,000 donation to Save The Children’s Ukraine appeal from a raffle she organised with the support of local businesses.
She said: ‘I couldn’t have done it without the help from all the businesses who joined me! And I did not expect the huge amount we raised.’