Alnwick charity Sunflower Sisters in fundraising drive to deliver aid to Ukraine

Dr Alice Good, who received an MBE from King Charles III Birthday Honours list, set up the charity, which supports Ukrainian citizens, in March 2022.

They are a women-only group who provide a range of services including support with visa applications including tracking, providing emergency accommodation, transport from Ukraine and Poland and much more.

Alice said: “The local Ukraine support groups are coming together to do charity concerts and things like that, it’s quite a big thing for Northumberland because most of the aid for Odessa and Kherson comes from this area and we have organised several trips now.”

Barter Books, which was keen to get involved, has recently become a partner and now has its own separate charity called Ukraine Aid Express.

They are a significant contributor as they provide a drop-off point for collecting donations, storage in their warehouse, and help with the fundraising that is crucial for getting the aid to Ukraine, as fuel alone costs them £6,500.

As a part of their fundraising, the bookstore is holding a raffle with prizes including an evening for 11 people to enjoy ice cream, cake, coffee and Prosecco as well as book vouchers. Tickets can be purchased from Barter Books which is hoping to raise £2,000 to fund the next aid trip.

The charity’s next trip will be at the end of September and is in response to the destruction of the Kakhovka dam in Kherson where they will be providing a range of specific aid including medical aid, sanitary and toiletry products, men’s clothing, electricals like power packs and torches and also food to help prepare the Ukrainians for winter.

"A lot of areas have got no electricity, they’ve got no heating, they’ve got no ways of cooking hot food, last winter was awful,” Alice added.

If you would like to make any donations you can leave them at a number of drop-off points including the main one at Barter Books, Willowburn Sports & Leisure Centre, Shilbottle Community Hall, St Lawrence Church in Warkworth, St Cuthbert’s Church in Amble, and The Church of the Holy Trinity in Embleton.

Keep up-to-date with Sunflower Sisters’ work on their website.