Charity boss forgotten as

THE founder of a Dorset charity who says his volunteers have saved tens of thousands of Ukrainian lives has said he fears the war-torn country is being forgotten as donations dwindle.

Karol Swiacki founded Ukraine Relief in Bournemouth two years ago to provide aid and donations to Ukraine in response to the conflict which began on February 24, 2022.

The 42-year-old said public donations to the charity have been falling and he fears the public have forgotten Ukraine as it receives less media coverage than two years ago.

“Ukraine is not in the media any more so, definitely, we would have much more (donations) if Ukraine was,” the charity chief executive said.

“My question to everyone is: Do we really need to have rockets flying over our homes to understand how dangerous that is for the future of Europe? Only then the people will wake up.

“It feels sad that I, with 40 volunteers, can do so much that we send so many things to save tens of thousands of lives. And that’s only a bunch of us.

“Imagine what we could do if that was thousands of us.”

He urged people to continue helping Ukrainians, adding: “I know this is not the only war around the world, but this is our war. We cannot allow this to happen.”

Ukraine Relief, previously known as Help from Bournemouth to Ukraine, began at a warehouse in Castlepoint, collecting thousands of donations such as blankets, clothes and healthcare products to be transported across Europe to Ukraine.

It has since become a registered charity with connections in the US, Sweden, Germany and France and has received backing from financial corporation JP Morgan.

The charity started the Children Are The Future project aiming to improve youngsters’ physical and mental health through sports and games, which Mr Swiacki said has helped them briefly forget about the conflict.

“We spend the money to renovate schools and shelters and give sports equipment to the kids,” he said.

“It is so amazing to see the children happy when the sports equipment arrives. They play, they have fun.

“For a few moments, they forget that the war exists.”

Mr Swiacki admits he sacrifices