IT STARTED out as an idea whilst sat on the sofa at home.
But nobody could have expected the Bournemouth-based charity Ukraine Relief to grow into the enormous operation that it is today – especially its founder Karol Swiacki.
Karol started the charity with a drop-off point in a friend’s shop in Boscombe and, when inundated by donations, was soon offered an empty warehouse by Castlepoint.
Looking back over the year, Karol said it has been “fast, big and moving at the speed of light” but it is “sad” that there is a need for the charity in the first place.
He added: “I was sitting on the sofa with my wife and we created a Facebook page called From Bournemouth to Ukraine.
“We thought about sending a few vans with goods from the people of Bournemouth to help refugees.”
Read more: Ukrainians living in Bournemouth mark one year since Russia's war
One year later, those “few vans of goods” has turned into a global charity effort with over 200 vehicles transporting more than 3,000 tonnes of aid for the people of Ukraine.
Karol is keen to point out Ukraine Relief would not be what it is today without the help of his wife and team of volunteers. He said: “I feel proud as a captain, but this team is unbelievable to me and so is Castlepoint.
“I’d like to say a special thank you to all the volunteers, Castlepoint and all the sponsors.”
Tobias Ellwood, MP for Bournemouth East, said: “This has been such a fantastic success story that all of Bournemouth can be proud of.
“Hats off to Karol, whose energy, dynamism, larger-than-life personality has energised us all.
“It has been such a collective effort and quite clearly this is going to be a long-term endurance, but I am quite pleased this is going to continue for a second year in Castlepoint.
“I’ve been to one of the humanitarian stations in Ukraine and there are donations coming from all over the world – I was very pleased to find in the UK section some boxes from Bournemouth.”
The mayor of Bournemouth, Cllr Bob Lawton, said: “I’m really impressed with what Karol has done. He has done a fantastic job with his contribution towards relief for Ukraine.
“Out of this building, a quarter of a billion pounds’ worth of clothing and food has gone to Ukraine. He is a credit to Bournemouth and the BCP area.”
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