Twyford woman leads village’s support for Ukraine crisis
A TWYFORD woman is leading the village’s response to the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine.
Debbie Martin decided to coordinate efforts after talking to one of her Ukrainian work colleagues.
Ms Martin says that since posting about her appeal on Facebook she has been “inundated” with responses.
“My friend and colleague Sergiy Fedortsov has family and friends in capital Kviv and on the country’s borders,” she said.
“And some of the images I have seen have broken me.
“I just couldn’t sit back and do nothing.”
She is in daily contact with Mr Fedortsov, who is “very stoic and getting on with it.”
Her empathy comes from her experience as a single parent of two children and through having family members who have also been involved in war.
“I know what it’s like to struggle to get the things you need,” she added.
The response to her appeal has been positive.
“People are being very kind,” she said.
“And it seems that women are organising many collections, I know Janine Duggan in Wargrave is receiving items too.”
Ms Martin said that the most important items to help women and children at the moment are nappies and sanitary wear.
She added that: “Men’s socks are also needed — if every man in Twyford donated just on pair of
socks, it would be amazing”
The list of items urgently needed for Ms Martin’s collection is:
■ Power banks for charging mobile phones ■ Large and medium sized backpacks
■ Camping mats and sleeping bags
■ Warm blankets and hot water bottles
■ Thermal and base layer clothing
■ Men’s socks
■ Protein and energy bars
■ Painkillers and cold relief, for example ibuprofen and Lemsips
■ First aid kits and wound dressings
■ Insulated flasks
■ Baby food
■ nappies
■ Female sanitary products.
Her first shipment of items collected since launching her appeal on Monday, February 28, left for Poland yesterday.
For information on how to donate to her collection, contact Debbie Martin, a member of Twyford Berkshire Facebook group, via Facebook Messenger.