People across the UK have wrapped around 25,000 Christmas presents to be delivered to young people in Ukraine.
Volunteers in Swindon, Bath and Ipswich took part in a “wrapathon” organized by The Plant and Hire Aid Alliance.
This is the third year of the event, which has sent approximately 45,000 gifts to children in Ukraine since its inception.
“Many people are seeing less about Ukraine on the news now, but the suffering continues and it’s important we don’t forget them,” said Jeremy Fish, CEO of Ardent Hire Solutions and co-founder of The Plant & Hire Aid Alliance.
Jeremy Fish is the founder of The Plant & Hire Aid Alliance, which runs the events. [Jeremy Fish]
“We are a humanitarian organization. We try to offer children and families a little comfort and joy. We have to do something,” he added.
Mr Fish said he came up with the idea after driving a van carrying humanitarian aid to the Ukrainian border in February 2022.
Since then, he and his company have organized and delivered several more humanitarian aid packages, including water purification generators and medical supplies.
The aid is handed over to the Rotary Clubs in Ukraine at the border and taken to the other side.
“Finally someone said, what about the Christmas presents,” Mr Fish said.
“A lot of people donated gifts and raised money but told you to wrap them and it just grew from there.”
The Ipswich wrapathon took place at Claydon High School on Saturday, while in Swindon volunteers gathered at the Swindon Humanitarian Aid Partnership, where a second event will be held on Sunday.
In Bath, the wrapathon took place at Oldfield Park Scala.
Thousands of donated gifts were wrapped at the three locations [BBC]
“We need a lot of people, a lot of wrapping paper, a lot of tape and a lot of scissors,” Mr. Fish said.
“Hopefully everyone will go home with the feeling that they have done something fun for the children.
“We often get photos back of children opening the presents and the joy on their faces makes it all worthwhile,” he added.
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