Collecting for Ukraine

The office of Expert in Mind becomes a donation centre

We have opened our office as a collection centre for essential items needed by the millions of Ukrainians who have been displaced by the Russian invasion.

We have been collecting for a few weeks and are so delighted by the support and donations we have received so far.  Our collection will end on 14th April 2022 when we will transport the donations to Poland.

Our collection flyer has been circulated among local schools, businesses and on social media.  If you are reading this article, please spread the word so we can help as many people as possible.

Items urgently needed are as follows:  (Items must be new, in date and unopened)

  • Nappies and wet wipes
  • Baby Food
  • First Aid Kits, Painkillers
  • Dog and cat food
  • Torches and Batteries
  • Sanitary towels
  • Soap, flannels and sponges
  • Toothbrushes and toothpaste
  • Deodorent and shampoo
  • Razors and shaving cream
  • Thermal clothes
  • Blankets and sleeping bags

 

An issue very close to my heart – a little bit of history:

My father was born in Lviv, then Poland, in 1920

In September 1939 he had started attending medical school when he received a phone call from his father telling him to go home immediately as the oil refinery, of which his father was a director, and their home, had been bombed by the Germans and was on fire.

He rushed home and they ran into the burning house and managed to pack a suitcase of belongings.  My father, his sister and his parents, drove away from their home and headed into some woods where they hid for several weeks, living in the car.

On the 17th September 1939, the Russians also invaded Poland.  Just before Christmas, his father, my grandfather, was arrested as a political prisoner.  A few months later, my dad was loaded onto a cargo train and taken to Siberia where he was put in a labour camp. Despite the horrors of this experience, my father managed to survive and escaped to England where he joined the Polish Air Force.

After the war, my father decided to continue his dream of becoming a doctor and was accepted to the Royal College of Surgeons in Dublin on the proviso of achieving a minimum of 97% in all his exams, at the same time as learning English.  He succeeded and qualified, returning to England to practice as a GP and becoming the Principal Police Surgeon for East Sussex.

This is a very short version of the story.  But my father’s drive and determination to succeed has been an inspiration and is one of the reasons why my company has opened its doors as a donation centre.

Please drop into our office at High Weald House, Glovers End, Bexhill on Sea, East Sussex, TN39 5ES between 9am and 5pm, Monday-Friday if you would like to donate.  Or contact us for more information