Rugby rallies around Ukraine
The rugby family has been busy supporting Ukraine with collections of cash, essential items, and transport to Eastern Europe.
SOS Kit Aid, supported by World Rugby, made a humanitarian delivery to Moldova after a request from the Moldovan Rugby Federation to send sets of warm clothes for hundreds of refugee youngsters from Ukraine.
SOS put together a large delivery of tracksuits and rugby shirts and also sent balls, boots and kit so that young Ukrainian refugees could play rugby.
CEO John Broadfoot said: ‘ We were delighted to help our friends in the Moldovan Rugby Federation and even more thrilled when World Rugby very generously agreed to sponsor the delivery.”
Every year SOS Kit Aid send large quantities of quality rugby kit to the Ukrainian Rugby Federation, all paid for by the UK Association of Ukrainians (UKAU) headed by Iwan Rewko - their official representative in the UK.
Iwan got in contact to say that the UKAU had gathered a very large quantity of medicines and clothing and needed help with transport to Ukraine. SOS Kit Aid’s main haulier - DB Schenker/Redhead generously agreed to provide a large vehicle free of charge to make the delivery.
Clubs get involved nationwide
Swanage and Wareham RFC ‘s Sponsorship Organiser David Nolan, together with Paul Overton, another club veteran, organised taking a van load of essential donated items to the Polish Ukraine border.
With Dave Hamblin who owns U Drive vans providing a van for the round trip free of charge, a local Polish group called ‘Bournemouth to Ukraine’ arranged a free ferry passage from Harwich to the Hook of Holland.
An email to Swanage and Wareham RFC VP's saw hundreds of pounds donated for fuel costs. This month (May) Dave and Paul loaded the van with donated goods, then headed off to Harwich for a 13-hour journey through Holland, Germany and Poland.
On arrival at the Polish Ukrainian border, proudly wearing their Swanage and Wareham RFC shirts, they were welcomed with open arms their van was unloaded and they then made a delivery of essential supplies to another drop off point.
They arrived home in time for the end of season club dinner where Nigel Owens was the guest speaker and a raffle raised a further £1,085 to enable Dave and Paul to plan another two trips to deliver to the Ukrainian refugees.
As Dave says, 'This dire situation is not disappearing overnight, and our continued support is essential.”
From Enfield Ignatians to Market Harborough and Staines to Sleaford and to Felixstowe, essential goods have been collected for transportation and clubs have raised money too.
Mistley Rugby Club collected £1,000 in aid of Ukrainian charities after hosting a community bake sale and Kenilworth RFC donated match gate monies. Across the country rugby clubs continue to help with support of Ukraine.
