A DEDICATED team of volunteers is helping to send supplies to Ukraine and support families who have fled to the UK.
The Swindon Humanitarian Aid Partnership has spent the last 100 days collecting, boxing up, and delivering much-needed clothes, food and hygiene products to the war-torn country.
As refugees arrive in Britain with little more than their clothes on their backs, the group allows them into a warehouse tucked away inside Swindon's Carriage Works to pick up supplies.
Olha Vasylenko has lived in Swindon with her partner Alex and children Maxim and Kira for the last three weeks.
She said: "We lived 50km from the warzone and went through Romania. It took five days of travel through Europe to get here and we slept where we could.
"We found a sponsor home in the UK, it's a different culture to get used to and different system to work with so it's not been easy.
The children were nervous at first but they are beginning to adapt - it will be easier for them when they get into nursery and school.
"We need more centres like this one, it's been very helpful for us."
Alex added: "We have the best new neighbours, they gave us such a warm welcome. Many people brought toys and scooters and ice cream, the neighbours' children play with our children, it's like in the movies."
Swindon Borough Council donated the large space to the humanitarian aid group in April and is working on moving them to bigger premises in the near future.
So far, the team has sent 550 tonnes of aid to Ukraine, including sleeping bags and blankets, bedframes, food, PPE, nappies, baby wipes, clothes, hospital supplies, bandages, pet food, toys, children's books, and musical instruments.
Taras Pavlik, Natalya Suhoveeva and Ieva Delininkaityteare part of the committee which manages the organisational effort along with chair Mike Bowden.
Taras said: "I've been here since day one, asking people to help us, it's not been easy.
"I'm glad to have help from Ieva and Natalya, it would be so hard without them. I'm just a cleaner and I'm now dealing with massive logistics issues and speaking to councils and MPs, it's a huge effort.
"I want to make sure my family is safe - my sister and niece are safe but my parents are still over in Ukraine - and help other families who have come here with nothing."
Mike added: "We have a priority list of items - one week, body bags were top of the list, which gives a grim message about what's going on over there.
"We offer traumatised families all the love and kindness we can, and make it as easy as possible for them because the last thing they need when they get here is struggling to get a doctor or find a school place.
"Swindon may be the butt of some jokes, but you will not find a kinder group of people anywhere else in the country. They are putting their heart and soul into this."
All their deliveries so far have been dropped off at Poland's border with Ukraine but the next one should be allowed into the country itself, with help from the Poltava Battalion of Caring People charity, to reach the eastern area where much of the fighting is taking place.
The partnership hopes to step up its supplies of medical equipment and pharmaceuticals.
To donate or offer other support to the Swindon Humanitarian Aid Partnership, email mike@phoenixenterprises.co.uk or visit the Facebook page.
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