How we started

Banbury Help for Ukraine was set up on Friday 25th February 2022, the day after Russia invaded Ukraine.

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Magdalena Kwiecinska wanted to help by collecting donations and sending items to where they were needed in Poland and Ukraine for people fleeing the war.

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On Tuesday 1st March the first donations were sorted and packed at Longford Park Community Centre, with the first van and trailer leaving for Poland on Friday 4th March. 

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On Saturday 5th March, the group moved to a larger unit in Castle Quay, and then moved again on Monday 14th March 2022 to the old Debenhams site in Banbury, gaining a much-needed larger area for sorting, packing and loading of the amazing volume of donations.

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In the first 8 weeks of the conflict, the group has delivered in the region of 100 tons of humanitarian aid to a number of sites in Poland and Ukraine.

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The name change to UK Help for Ukraine now gives a better reflection of where we are now receiving donations from – no longer only the Banbury area, or just England, but also Wales and Scotland.

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In addition, further support has been offered to other groups, by helping with paperwork, logistics, and use of monetary donations for items desperately needed on the ground in Poland and Ukraine.

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So much has been achieved in a short space of time but the need continues. At least five million people have left Ukraine for Poland and many millions more are displaced. We will continue to appreciate your help and donations.