Monday 28 February 2022

A Tickton woman has been overwhelmed with offers of help and support since launching a shoebox appeal to send essential items to refugees fleeing Ukraine. Beth Fletcher, 23, a former Beverley Brownie Leader, told Beverley FM she had been left heartbroken watching news of Russia’s invasion unfold on news broadcasts.

“I just had to do something; I felt so helpless,” Beth told us. “One image that really struck home was of two 18-year-old Ukrainian girls praying and asking for people to help their country and I’m sat in the comfort of my living room without really a care,” she said.

Beth, who lives with her mum and dad, posted on Facebook early yesterday morning saying she was putting together boxes full of essentials which are going to be shipped to Poland for the refugees coming from Ukraine. By lunchtime she said the response was absolutely fantastic. The YMCA charity shop in Beverley has offered to act as a collection point and Beth has set up an email address – beverleyforukraine@gmail.com – for people to contact her directly.

Beth has established a link with a national support group launched by Ukrainians in the UK who have volunteer drivers who will help ferry relief aid to Poland where many thousands of Ukrainian refugees have fled. A list of some of the items needed – for men, women and children – are listed in Beth’s Facebook post and she adds: “Please add a little message … cards, small Teddies; perhaps make a blue and yellow bracelet”.

Beth will be the guest of Rachael Campey on tomorrow morning’s Morning Mix.