Ukraine war: How to easily donate essential items to Ukrainian refugees via collection bins in Hampshire

The Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance (HIOWAA) is calling on donations of ‘high demand’ items including nappies, soap and toilet paper to be sent over to Ukrainian refugees.

Local collection points set up in existing clothing bin and established by a partnership between HIOWAA and Recycling Solutions, can be found at the Asda and Morrisons in Portsmouth, as well as the Green Dragon pub, Aldi and Morrisons in Gosport.

Keith Wilson, director of fundraising at HIOWAA, said: ‘Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance is in the business of helping people in desperate need, and I know many of us have felt powerless to do anything to support the thousands of Ukrainian refugees reaching Poland and elsewhere.

‘We are delighted that through our partnership with Recycling Solutions the charity and our supporters can make a real and meaningful difference to the lives of Ukrainians who have been through so much pain and hardship in recent days.’

Other essential items required include baby wipes, Vaseline, toothpaste, toothbrushes, mouthwash, bottled water, shampoo, shower gel, bandages, plasters, sanitary towels and baby formula.

People wishing to donate are asked to bag up and label the items so drivers can separate them from clothing and textiles.

A spokesman from Recycling Solutions added: ‘Recycling Solutions Northwest Ltd has long term links with Ukraine, with much of the clothing collected and sold for our charity partners sent to Ukraine for onward sorting and selling.

SEE ALSO: Laly’s pharmacies in Portsmouth accepting donations for Ukraine

‘Our long-standing customers, the Ukrainian drivers we see weekly, their families and the whole country need assistance.’

Extra collections are being arranged to cope with the expected demand in the short term but will continue if demand requires.

People still wishing to make a recycling donation in support of HIOWAA can do so by dropping a bag of unmarked items containing clothes, bras, shoes, bags, belts and hats, sheets, towels, pillowcases and duvet cases into the recycling banks.

For more information, and to check the locations of the recycling banks, visit hiowaa.org/get-involved/recycle or recyclingsolutions.org.uk/clothing-banks.

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

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