This group was created to try and help raise awareness of the crisis in Ukraine and to help organise and coordinate local efforts to send support from across the Borough of Chorley in Lancashire.
Across Chorley & District multiple educational facilities, community groups and organisations reacted and began to spread awareness and collect donations. In order to sift and sort a lot of local donations, a unit has been loaned by Chorley Council. A large percentage of the District's aid has come into this unit and it is being palletised ready for sending out to Eastern Europe.
Across Chorley & District multiple educational facilities, community groups and organisations reacted and began to spread awareness and collect donations. In order to sift and sort a lot of local donations, a unit has been loaned by Chorley Council. A large percentage of the District's aid has come into this unit and it is being palletised ready for sending out to Eastern Europe.
Donations being organised at Chorley, April 2022.
Furthermore, the unit has been able to act as an overspill when the International Aid Trust warehouse of Lostock Hall has been overwhelmed, and it has also received collections from Leyland, Penwortham, Wigan, Blackburn, Bolton, and elsewhere.
Stuart Clewlow with Rev Bernard Cocker, Founder of International Aid Trust.
We have been working closely with Fr. Neil Kelley and St. Laurence's Church in Chorley. When our 'Ukraine Unit' isn't open for people to drop off donations, the Church has been made available and the Church volunteers have been mobilised to accept donations between 11-2 from Tuesday to Friday. It should be noted that the Church cannot accept clothing donations but just smaller items such as medical kits and toiletries.
The main drop off point is the 'Ukraine Unit' which can be found off Market Walk in Chorley town centre.
The makeshift unit can be found underneath the new Reel Cinema, to the side of the Calico Lounge and the postcode is PR7 1FD.
We are working to quite a specific donation list, but we can accept and distribute most things.
The main drop off point is the 'Ukraine Unit' which can be found off Market Walk in Chorley town centre.
The makeshift unit can be found underneath the new Reel Cinema, to the side of the Calico Lounge and the postcode is PR7 1FD.
We are working to quite a specific donation list, but we can accept and distribute most things.
Through the hard work of the dedicated group of volunteers, we have been able to send out nearly 100 pallets of aid from the affectionately named 'Ukraine Unit' and the "Chorley & District Support for Ukraine" Facebook group now has over 2,000 members from all across Europe.
A hive of activity at the 'Ukraine Unit' in Chorley, March 2022.
The efforts of the group has seen it being reported about in the Lancashire Post, Chorley Guardian local newspaper and even regional radio. As well as welcoming families and guests from the Ukraine, who are now staying locally, the unit has also been visited a couple of times by Chorley MP and Speaker of the House of Commons, Sir Lindsay Hoyle.
Sir Lindsay Hoyle visits the 'Ukraine Unit', 30th April 2022.
By Saturday 26th June 2022, in terms of volume, a massive 168 pallets worth of aid has been sifted and sorted and sent to Ukraine from the Chorley & District Support for Ukraine donations unit, including:
16 x pallets of nappies
5 x pallets of toys
5 x pallets of pet food
43 x pallets of clothes
22 x pallets of medical goods & toiletries
19 x pallets of duvets, towels & bedding
And much more!
The generosity of people not only from Chorley & District, but also South Ribble, Preston, Bolton, Wigan, Southport, Greater Manchester, West Lancashire, East Lancashire has been absolutely overwhelming!
16 x pallets of nappies
5 x pallets of toys
5 x pallets of pet food
43 x pallets of clothes
22 x pallets of medical goods & toiletries
19 x pallets of duvets, towels & bedding
And much more!
The generosity of people not only from Chorley & District, but also South Ribble, Preston, Bolton, Wigan, Southport, Greater Manchester, West Lancashire, East Lancashire has been absolutely overwhelming!
As of Saturday 26th June 2022, we continue to collect donations and many items are being packed into boxes and sent out to the International Aid Trust and supporting their efforts in Ukraine.
In addition, we have now established a 'pop-up shop' inside our Ukraine unit. Here, our guests from Ukraine can call in to see the volunteers, have a drink, and choose free items to help them get on their feet, such as toiletries, clothes, toys, nappies, etc. If we have something in stock, our guests are welcome to it.
So far we have helped people from all across Lancashire and Greater Manchester and have given out the equivalent of 75 'bags for life'.
In addition, we have now established a 'pop-up shop' inside our Ukraine unit. Here, our guests from Ukraine can call in to see the volunteers, have a drink, and choose free items to help them get on their feet, such as toiletries, clothes, toys, nappies, etc. If we have something in stock, our guests are welcome to it.
So far we have helped people from all across Lancashire and Greater Manchester and have given out the equivalent of 75 'bags for life'.
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As the situation in Ukraine has changed, so has our collections and way of operating.
As well as the 'shop' we have also been able to add to the list of items we are able to receive to send out to Ukraine. As of August 2022, we have been collecting bicycles for Ukraine and have already sent out over 110! In addition, from September 2022 we have been collecting household appliances and heaters to send to Ukraine in readiness for the dropping temperatures. The response from across our region has been amazing!
As well as the 'shop' we have also been able to add to the list of items we are able to receive to send out to Ukraine. As of August 2022, we have been collecting bicycles for Ukraine and have already sent out over 110! In addition, from September 2022 we have been collecting household appliances and heaters to send to Ukraine in readiness for the dropping temperatures. The response from across our region has been amazing!
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Other efforts by the Chorley & District Support for Ukraine group:
Working with one of our Ukrainian group members, we have published a basic Translation-Transliteration to help our local Sponsors and Guests from the Ukraine to familiarise themselves with some key words and household items. We have been selling the booklets in our donations unit but we are also happy to share it here for you to download free of charge:
| list_of_words_in_ukrainian_and_russian_with_transliteration_1.5.22.pdf |
Translation & Transliteration booklet, May 2022
Another resource we have produced is a simple display of United Kingdom currency. The purpose is to help people from the Ukraine to familiarise themselves with our currency.
Again, you are welcome to download the document:
Again, you are welcome to download the document:
| uk-currency-for-ukrainians.pdf |
In May 2022 I was able to work with Chorley Council to produce a map of Chorley town centre.
Useful buildings and places have been marked on the map in English, Ukrainian and also Russian.
On the reverse is an overall map of the Borough so that our new Guests to Chorley can familiarise themselves as to how the outlying villages relate to Chorley.
Useful buildings and places have been marked on the map in English, Ukrainian and also Russian.
On the reverse is an overall map of the Borough so that our new Guests to Chorley can familiarise themselves as to how the outlying villages relate to Chorley.
Map of Chorley town centre and the Borough as a whole. The image can be downloaded below...
| chorley_map_for_ukraine_a4_2022.jpg |
| chorley_map_for_ukraine_a4_20222.jpg |
The Chorley & District Support for Ukraine group has been able to develop an excellent working relationship with members of the International Aid Trust charity. They have been supporting the people of Ukraine for over 30 years and it was only logical to work with them. During our open sessions at the 'Ukraine Unit', we have received a number of anonymous monetary donations and we had the great please of presenting £500 to Rev Bernard Cocker of International Aid Trust and the money would be utilised to further their work in Ukraine.
The Chorley & District Support for Ukraine group will continue for as long as it is needed. On Facebook it is helping to share up to date information, liaise with other similar groups, and to coordinate local donation collections. It has been necessary to create subsidiary groups in order to provide a place for specific items to be offered or requested and more recently, a local Ukraine Community group has been created.
Please click on the highlighted links to join...
* Chorley & District Support for Ukraine:
(4) Chorley & District Support for Ukraine | Facebook
* Chorley Donations for Ukraine Refugees:
(4) Chorley Donations for Ukraine Refugees | Facebook
* Chorley & District Ukraine Community:
(4) Chorley & District Ukraine Community Українська Громада | Facebook
Please click on the highlighted links to join...
* Chorley & District Support for Ukraine:
(4) Chorley & District Support for Ukraine | Facebook
* Chorley Donations for Ukraine Refugees:
(4) Chorley Donations for Ukraine Refugees | Facebook
* Chorley & District Ukraine Community:
(4) Chorley & District Ukraine Community Українська Громада | Facebook
We now coordinate our efforts and support through three Facebook groups.
Chorley & District Support for Ukraine fundraising badges, May 2022
If anyone has any specific queries or does not have access to our groups on Facebook, please don't hesitate to email me at saclewlow@yahoo.com
Thank you to all the volunteers, all our followers and to everyone who has offered support. We can't influence the military aspects of this conflict, but we can make a difference to those being affected by it.
Stuart A. Clewlow
Co-ordinator, Chorley & District Support for Ukraine
Thank you to all the volunteers, all our followers and to everyone who has offered support. We can't influence the military aspects of this conflict, but we can make a difference to those being affected by it.
Stuart A. Clewlow
Co-ordinator, Chorley & District Support for Ukraine
Some of the members of the Chorley & District Support for Ukraine group at the donations unit, April 2022
Click on the links below and have a look at these videos to see some of our activity and how our group developed...
(316) Chorley & District Support for Ukraine - YouTube
(316) Chorley & District Support for Ukraine - Volunteers 12.3.22 - YouTube
(316) Chorley & District Support for Ukraine - YouTube
(316) Chorley & District Support for Ukraine - Volunteers 12.3.22 - YouTube
Volunteers from the Chorley & District Support for Ukraine group at the 50th open public session of the 'Ukraine Unit' in August 2022.