Right. I'm sure we're all feeling pretty useless at the mo - so I'm having a whip round amongst family and friends and dropping some stuff off at the Ukrainian Centre tomorrow night. 

They're organising deliveries to the refugees fleeing into Poland. They're needing toys, nappies, sanitary towels, crayons, clean towels, first aid kits, sleeping bags, metal cups, thermal clothing, hair brushes, shampoos, toothbrushes, children’s clothes and bandages etc. 

If anybody wants to chip in - just send me a PM and I'll send you my bank details. I'm going to do a big shop after work and see what I can get my hands on.

Will need to be by tomorrow though as they're only taking deliveries between 7 and 9 pm.

Realise loads of people will already be doing something similar so don't worry if you can't!

Thanks - Kent 🇬🇧🤝🇺🇦

 

Sorry mods - posted this in the other section too by accident if you want to delete it? 

1 minute ago, Sweep said:

we're happy enough for a couple of families to move into a couple of the out buildings, as long as they don't try and come too near to the house

The toilet blocks on your caravan site aren't yours, and you can't expect people to live in them.

2 hours ago, Rudy said:

Don’t think many Great lever applicants will be successful. They’ve been through enough already 

I have tbh, I only need a chink for a full house, I'm like Benetton.

2 hours ago, Sweep said:

It's been confirmed it won't be taxable, and it also won't affect council tax (if the person currently gets the 25% single occupancy discount)

As said above, £350 a month is hardly a decent amount, and probably won't cover an extra person moving in with you - I'm going to assume that those who take somebody in, aren't (you would hope) doing it for financial gain, as they'll more than likely end up out of pocket

I'm surprised that the payment is that much to be honest. It shouldn't be particularly high neither- folk should be doing it for charitable reasons.

Councils to get 10k per person housed too for schooling etc from what was said on the news. Again, seems high, but it could be bollocks. Will have to see what comes out later.

For the record, I wasn’t saying do away with the checks.

On 13/03/2022 at 09:09, royal white said:

I know a lot you know Joe cooke on here, he’s looking for donations for this. 
 

copied from FB 

 

A COUPLE OF DAYS AGO I was chatting to Dawn and Dave at the Venue about a helper on tv at the Polish Ukrainian border saying the only thing they were short of was Chocolate bars to give the kids .He said the look on the kids faces when he gave them a bar of chocolate was amazing and made the days there worth while. 
DAWN said ide love take a van full over .
I explaned that it would take 8 to 10 days with tolls in France Germany adding 150 euro to the trip 180 for the ferry diesel and digs for 8 to 10 night s makes it not a great idea .
But can put 32 kilo of choc on a plane to Poland then train and bus to border easy and cheap .
 I told them you collect the chocolate ile take it . 
Yesterday I was told they were gonna collect chocolate and to book the flights .So on the 29 th of March 3 of us will fly min 96 kilo of chocolate out and get it to the border . 
So we're asking for a simple donation of a Bar of chocolate and a quid towards expenses any expenses over will go to the Ukrainians it's for baggage fees and Digs and train and bus .Flights are paid for  food ect we will sort our selves every penny every chocolate goes to the Ukrainians. 
Also my son is a School teacher the kids at his school are drawing pics and Easter cards for the Ukrainans so if you have kids and would like to ask them were happy to take all of them .If any adults wanna a write a letter of support ect feel free we will take them ad an email you might make a new friend .
You can drop donations at the Venue in town or Crofters pub halliwell .If you can't get there and would rather wire money then you can wire to my bank and in the ref  chocolate send just a pound for choc and ile buy it or send two pound for chic and expense. 
You can phone Dawn on 07811531054 to arrange a collection .You can also drop with me and Julie if your in tongmoor area inbox me or Ian Handley if halliwell .
This is a way any one and every one can cheaply and easily help bring a little Joy to a Ukrainian child and family and by God they deserve it .x 
Bank details are 
H J Cooke  .
09 01 27 
96585445.

Massive thanks to @Tonge moor green jacketwho has made a fantastic donation of chocolate for this cause. Brilliant 👏🏻👏🏻 

4 hours ago, Rudy said:

They’ll do well to get over the moat

They'll do well to get over all the nicked copper, scrap and stolen plant machinery.

Message from Joe Cooke.

Ukrainian kids 
Chocolate appeal .

First thanks to all that have pledged and dropped chocolate off .
We have been contacted by a charity that takes van loads of gear over to Poland for the ukrainan refugees they have asked for Dried food stuff so if you've got a pack of spaghetti ect  ya don't need then please drop it off we will get it to the charity. ALSO  packets of soups . cup a soups ECT .
3MILLION people have now left the Ukraine that's why we are taking chocolate a helper on tv said its the one thing they are short off .
So come on people of Bolton just send a quid or drop a bar of chocolate off help bring a smile to a child that's lost every thing . Drop of points .
The VENUE  churchgate .
THE OLD 3 CROWNS .
THE SCENTY SHOP DAUBHILL .
ME N ME JULIE TONGMOOR .
IAN HANDLEY HALLIWELL OR FINCHY .
Dennis hunt for any manc donations 
BANK DETAILS TO DONATE 
HENRY J COOKE 
090127 
96585445

Wonder if the Ukraine Club on Castle Street has looked at converting its many rooms into some kind of accommodation. It’s a huge old building that one.

2 hours ago, Smiley said:

Wonder if the Ukraine Club on Castle Street has looked at converting its many rooms into some kind of accommodation. It’s a huge old building that one.

There are tens of thousands of places available from folk offering up their homes but only a tiny fraction have made it here so far, we need to step it up imo.

8 hours ago, Winchester White said:

There are tens of thousands of places available from folk offering up their homes but only a tiny fraction have made it here so far, we need to step it up imo.

I don’t disagree. 

10 hours ago, Winchester White said:

There are tens of thousands of places available from folk offering up their homes but only a tiny fraction have made it here so far, we need to step it up imo.

It's a disgrace, this government is nowt but piss and wind.

At least the tens of thousands are giving some hapless souls some hope (I'm speaking from experience)

Still shit.

Far too clunky and cumbersome.

Streamline the method, get the forms in Ukrainian etc.

@Tonge moor green jacket quick update mate off one of the lads who took the supplies over (this is their second trip) thanks again. 
 

Update Ukraine:
Finally arrived at Przemyśl after a 7 and half hr freezing journey . The train guard tried to make us pay again as we missed yesterday's train thanks to ticket seller at warsaw .So got told in no uncertain terms  we were not paying again she went off to speak to her boss and we never saw them again .
Last week it was sunny the world seemed a brighter place today it was rain snow and freezing the world a very much grimmer place .We're met by machine gun toteing police  and similar scenes to last week but more folk crammed into the main entrance as last week many were out side in the sun .
Many handicapped in wheel chairs there journey must have been hell . A quick bar of choc and a card from a child in UK and they managed a smile .
It only took 2 hrs to dish out 64 kilo of chocolate each bar handed over to a child or mother . I gave a bag full to a nun who happily went about dispersing it to old folk sat in a corridor the smiles made it all worth while . A bag of small loose chocs we gave helpers at the kitchen they filled a basket and put it on the counter so folk could help themselves.  As we left to go get some dinner looking back into the crowd it was nice to see every kid in sight had a card and bar of chocolate .People think a little bar of chocolate is not much but to these poor people it s a lot and the smiles show it . Were on a train to krakow now hope fully be some digs available there as none in Przemyśl .If not a flight will do .
All those who have donated a massive thank you and believe me your donation large or small made some one smile today .

Edited March 31, 20224 yr by royal white

11 hours ago, royal white said:

@Tonge moor green jacket quick update mate off one of the lads who took the supplies over (this is their second trip) thanks again. 
 

Update Ukraine:
Finally arrived at Przemyśl after a 7 and half hr freezing journey . The train guard tried to make us pay again as we missed yesterday's train thanks to ticket seller at warsaw .So got told in no uncertain terms  we were not paying again she went off to speak to her boss and we never saw them again .
Last week it was sunny the world seemed a brighter place today it was rain snow and freezing the world a very much grimmer place .We're met by machine gun toteing police  and similar scenes to last week but more folk crammed into the main entrance as last week many were out side in the sun .
Many handicapped in wheel chairs there journey must have been hell . A quick bar of choc and a card from a child in UK and they managed a smile .
It only took 2 hrs to dish out 64 kilo of chocolate each bar handed over to a child or mother . I gave a bag full to a nun who happily went about dispersing it to old folk sat in a corridor the smiles made it all worth while . A bag of small loose chocs we gave helpers at the kitchen they filled a basket and put it on the counter so folk could help themselves.  As we left to go get some dinner looking back into the crowd it was nice to see every kid in sight had a card and bar of chocolate .People think a little bar of chocolate is not much but to these poor people it s a lot and the smiles show it . Were on a train to krakow now hope fully be some digs available there as none in Przemyśl .If not a flight will do .
All those who have donated a massive thank you and believe me your donation large or small made some one smile today .

Amazing! Those small acts of kindness will be remembered by ever by the people that benefitted from them!

My grandma has been knitting like a sweatshop employee of the month.

some baby clothes , scarves and kids hats. Even done some jackets for the dogs. Just been and dropped them off. Not much but hopefully they will come in handy.

Picking up Natalia (my step mum's cousin) and her son Bogdan form Bristol Airport on Friday.

Quite anxious about it. Natalie is sound and has perfect English... but I do worry how this has affected her son (16) who doesn't speak English. Misses his dad terribly.

Managed to get 6 other families staying close by (within 15 miles) that all know each other and have connections with Natalia.

Who knows how its going to pan out... Hopefully they settle in quickly, feel safe and try start living a normal life again.

7 minutes ago, wanderer1984 said:

Picking up Natalia (my step mum's cousin) and her son Bogdan form Bristol Airport on Friday.

Quite anxious about it. Natalie is sound and has perfect English... but I do worry how this has affected her son (16) who doesn't speak English. Misses his dad terribly.

Managed to get 6 other families staying close by (within 15 miles) that all know each other and have connections with Natalia.

Who knows how its going to pan out... Hopefully they settle in quickly, feel safe and try start living a normal life again.

If you need anything pal just give us a shout 

20 hours ago, wanderer1984 said:

Picking up Natalia (my step mum's cousin) and her son Bogdan form Bristol Airport on Friday.

Quite anxious about it. Natalie is sound and has perfect English... but I do worry how this has affected her son (16) who doesn't speak English. Misses his dad terribly.

Managed to get 6 other families staying close by (within 15 miles) that all know each other and have connections with Natalia.

Who knows how its going to pan out... Hopefully they settle in quickly, feel safe and try start living a normal life again.

All the best mate.

The language barrier may be an issue, but I reckon he'll soon pick it up.

Like you said, the strain of being away from his dad- at an age when he may want a chat- must be awful.

Pass on my best wishes to them. 

2 hours ago, Tonge moor green jacket said:

All the best mate.

The language barrier may be an issue, but I reckon he'll soon pick it up.

Like you said, the strain of being away from his dad- at an age when he may want a chat- must be awful.

Pass on my best wishes to them. 

Been a weird one. A lot of patience to the point I'd forgotten they're coming. It's only since we booked flights for them it's become real again. As you know... got everything my end done weeks ago.

 

 

Don't know if you lot care but anyway... My Mrs picked Natalia and Bogdan on Friday from Bristol airport.

Couldn't of asked for a nicer two people.. so polite and grateful towards us.

On Saturday me and Natalia made Borscht and pampushki which was unexpectedly OK. She insisted on making a weeks worth, seems they eat it everyday for dinner.

 

The lad will only eat between 3pm and 10pm so missed out on yesterday's fryup.

Had a chicken dinner for tea tonight, everything in bowls on the table so they could choose what they wanted. Bogdan grabbed and munched on one thing at a time, bit weird and didn't even try the gravy. Made a lemon drizzle which went down superbly.

These two are well off in Ukraine but from what I understand, like most Ukrainians... they live a simple life. They don't need or want stuff we have. Even though they can afford it. . they'd rather make their own bread, soup, alcohol and grow their own vegetables etc.

Most household appliances we take for granted seem a unnecessary luxury to them... so they don't bother.

Arranging english courses at the local college and need to get some bank account's open, new sim card each so they can claim universal credit.

A day out in Tenby tomorrow. Hope all the holiday makers have funked off home.

 

 

HB... 😉

Can't believe it hasn't been asked or mentioned.

Standards are slipping.

Interesting about living a simpler life; growing veg etc.

Was the way here not too long ago.

Hope all goes well.

2 hours ago, Traf said:

Can't believe it hasn't been asked or mentioned.

Standards are slipping.

Did have the opportunity to go through all the clothes donated to them both. She's got a wardrobe full of tight fitting tops and short skirts etc. Got rid of all the baggy shite. 

24 minutes ago, wanderer1984 said:

Did have the opportunity to go through all the clothes donated to them both. She's got a wardrobe full of tight fitting tops and short skirts etc. Got rid of all the baggy shite. 

We will be the judge of if they are tight fitting or not thank you very much.