Woollyhugs > Latest.. > Blogs > Christmas in Poland 2023

The van is on its way!

Text from the wonderful CCLL.
Yesterday the our minibus was loaded to the roof. Lots of wounderful donations for children and their families in #ukraine including 150 blankets and 5 boxes of rechargeable torches and powerbanks from Woolly Hugs and 100’s of School in a Bag sets.
With our CEO Dennis Vystavkin at the wheel it is now on it’s way to Lublin, Poland via Holland where Dennis will be visiting various suppliers that are supporting our partners Благодійний фонд “Єлеон”/Charitable foundation Eleon
On Wednesday he will be joined in Lublin by Michael Lafferty and Andy March, together with Ginny and Gertie from Woolly Hugs to give a short respite break for up to 90 Ukrainian children.

“All blankets are on board”

“All blankets are on board” Dennis has started loading the CCLL minibus as he (and his mum) will be heading out on Saturday/Sunday ready tp meet us in Lublin. He is stopping off in Holand to speak to some supplier supporters on behalf of our Ukrainian/Polish partner charity Eleon.

Woolly Hugs goes to Poland, Christmas 2023

Absolutely delighted to now be able to share this with you. We are joining Andy and Dennis from the CCLL on their trip to Lublin, Poland just before Christmas.  (Dec 14th – 19th)

A large group of 10-14 year old Ukrainian children from Korosten district will be arriving into Poland for a respite break and will be accompanied by 5 leaders – 4 of whom are English teachers.  There are two days of activities planned, including something with some Ukrainian children and their families already refugeed in Lublin. Lublin is about 50 miles from the Ukrainian border.

And then on the Saturday we get to be there to be with the Ukrainian children and help give our blankets out. OUR CHERNOBS! Our beautiful blankets to these 150 beautiful children!  Can you image how precious a time this will be? We are beyond thankful that this is actually a possibility! Just wow.

Each and every one of you will be with us in spirit. We take you all in our hearts.

As with our trip to Belarus we intend to blog and even Vlog where possible. We found this worked really well, and wifi might be easier this time!

We are flying with Andy March to Warsaw, and then driving to Lublin. Dennis is driving all our blankets plus a lot more from Alton. That’s over 1000 miles in a van!

Our beautiful blanket collection can be seen here….

So so happy we can do this, we will take as many photos as we can! As Dennis says our blankets are so much more than just a blanket. They give love, support, warmth and comfort.

We have one more ask. In the past we have made stockings for children just like these. We are asking for something fundamental this time. If you would like to send along an additional gift for one of the children living in Ukraine, please read on. The charity are developing the idea of a grab bag for these kids. So if they have to go suddenly into a shelter they have a bag with a full water bottle, something to read, something to keep warm, which could be our blankets and a torch. Its the torch we are asking for. It is a specific type, a rechargeable torch so no need for replacement batteries. It is awful that this is their life experience, they had so little to start with, now coping with ongoing war.

Torches can be purchased on Amazon Prime here and in the sale right now.  beacsue of pressures on time please get these sent directly to..

 

Chernobyl Children’s Lifeline, 6 Hartley Business Park, Selborne Road, Alton, GU34 3HD.

Any to go in the van on THIS trip, need to have arrived by Dec 8th. Anything that will arrive after the 8th will be going across to Ukraine in mid Jan 24.