Bready charity appeal for Ukraine shows ‘the goodness in local people’

THE response to a charity donation drive for Ukrainian refugees in Bready this week proves “there are still a lot of good people in this world.”

These were the words of Georgina Kee-McCarter from Sollus Highland Dancers who started the collection on Monday.

She said she was inspired to act after watching the harrowing footage of Ukrainians fleeing the country following the recent invasion by Russia.

“It came about from watching the news on TV – which has been difficult to watch,” Georgina admitted.

“I was watching this and thinking, ‘we’re useless. What can we do to help people?’

“I was at home over the weekend and saw that (Derry) Ulster Unionist councillor and former soldier, Ryan McCready was doing a bit of a shout out for donations and then using the contacts he has in Ukraine to get the stuff sent out there to help. I just thought, ‘we should help here’.”

One-time Royal Irish Regiment troop Ryan McCready is planning an operation to support those fleeing the war. He’s hoping to use his contacts in Ukraine, where he was based in 2015 and 2016.

Georgina continued, “I had been talking to a few people and I said if you want to drop stuff off, leave it at the Sollus Centre. We put a post on Facebook and the response has been great.

“It shows there are still a lot of good people in the world. Sometimes we forget that with everything else that’s going on. At times like this people just want to do their bit. We are blessed living where we do. I’ve been watching the TV and I keep think that we’re going back in time. Can this really be happening? But it is.

“Everybody I’ve spoken to has been saying the same thing, that they’re so sad and they’re touched by what’s happening. It’s scary.”

The donation drive in Bready ended last night (Wednesday) and the emergency supplies are already on their way to the refugees.