DORSET is set to pay tribute to Ukraine to mark the second anniversary of the country's invasion by Russia.

BCP Council says it will be flying the Ukrainian flag over the Civic Centre as a memorial to those who have been killed and displaced.

More than six million Ukrainians have been forced to flee their homeland and BCP Council says more than 700 of them have resettled in the area.

 

New Forest For Ukraine has urged people to keep motivation to give essential items as aid is needed now more than ever. 

2 years since the war started in 2022, New Forest for Ukraine started as a small voluntary group but has grown exponentially in size. 

Founder of the group, Paulina Gruszka, said: "At the very beginning, people made an effort and went into shops and bought stuff from a list. Now, we still get loads but we do have a lot of people that bring things we can't use. 

"We need food, toiletries and medication because people have no food, electricity, water, or gas and the winter is the hardest period because temperatures are still at -20 degrees in certain areas."

NFFU has delivered 250 metric tonnes of humanitarian aid estimated at a value of £3m since its genesis and send aid bi-weekly to those in need. 

NFFU separates itself from others Ukraine groups due to knowing the exact path of its items, able to track where it goes due to a secure network of contacts. 

Paulina said: "We're sending items right to the war zone where people have lost everything. We give items to orphanages to children who have lost their dads in the war in Kyiv and Lviv. 

"We started donations to Bakmut which doesn't exist anymore. It was levelled by bombing but was occupied by Russia. We still sent three loads of aid there but the fourth was stopped."

Used to sending high amounts of medical equipment, the group has hit a brick wall due to EU regulation change which has disabled the group to send any medical items that is not over-the-counter and in date. 

This has included restrictions on essentials such as bandages and dressings.

Paulina said: "To send prescribed drugs, we need a medical licence which we don't have and can't afford.

"EU regulations are getting stricter but that will not stop us."