WIREDGOV

With the war in Ukraine causing misery and hardship for so many, employees of Association for Project Management (APM) are volunteering to help those in need.

Svetlana Wilson, Digital Performance Specialist at APM, is a Ukrainian national who has lived in the UK for 17 years. She still has many friends and family members in Ukraine and has established oursupport4ukraine, a fundraising and supply distribution operation run from her home in the UK.

Oursupport4ukraine collects items that are much-needed by those affected by the war – including food, bedding and medical supplies – and arranges for them to be delivered to Ukraine and distributed to the people there. Getting supplies into Ukraine is currently a challenge for many organisations, but Svetlana has persisted and has so far helped 10 lorries loaded with supplies to reach aid workers in the country.

Svetlana yesterday said:

“The idea just started in my living room. I started an online collection pot for members of the public to donate items. It just grew and grew.

“There are a lot of people who have supported the initiative and they’ve been amazing. I’ve been working with the NHS and have been approached by a number of charities who would like to fund us.

“I just want to do my bit to support the country where I grew up.”

APM encourages its employees to volunteer by granting each staff member one day a year to spend supporting a worthy cause of their choice. In response to the Russian invasion, APM has expanded this scheme, offering an additional volunteering day to all staff that can be used to support a charity that is working to help people in Ukraine.

Marianne Aitken, Digital Communications Officer at APM, is working on a separate donation drive, rallying colleagues and people in her local community to donate essential supplies on behalf of the Association of Ukrainians in Great Britain (AUGB).

She yesterday said:

“Like many people, I’ve been deeply moved by what’s happening in Ukraine and wanted to do whatever I can to help.

“People have been very generous so far, but we’re determined to keep going and do all we can.”

If you would like to make a donation, visit oursupport4ukraine.com. More details about the AUGB emergency appeal can be found on the organisation’s website.