A SCOTTISH former soldier is raising money for Ukraine after spending six weeks evacuating Ukrainian civilians to safety.
Frustrated by the lack of effective response to the ongoing crisis, 51 year old Simon Atkinson from Bishopbriggs has taken matters into his own hands to improve the situation in the war-torn country.
Atkinson said: “Thanks to the time spent working alongside the Ukrainian diaspora, I have access to an in-country logistics and distribution network staffed by local logistics professionals, who will transport food, and other humanitarian aid from origin to destination. That’s what this fundraiser is all about. We will buy, transport and distribute essential aid to the people needing it the most – whether they are in Mariupol, Odessa, Kharkiv or Kyiv.
“I am incredibly frustrated by the lack of impetus shown by large aid agencies, many of which have seen huge surges in donations, but who have not distributed those donations to the front lines where they are most desperately needed.”
Atkinson and his colleagues in Ukraine have voiced their extreme concern about the long term implications of the Russian invasion. The former army officer notes that Ukraine, one of the world’s biggest exporters of grain, will struggle to produce a harvest next year in the midst of war and that the issue may be compounded by a ban on fertiliser imports from Belarus.
Atkinson’s fundraiser, which aims to raise £100,000, will be spent entirely on relief efforts and focus on cities worst hit by the Russian invasion.
Atkinson added: “It’s not just money that is useful.
“Organisations who are sitting on stuff they cannot move should get in touch and we will make arrangements for them. It would also be useful to hear from those able to assist with direct donations of pharmaceuticals and/or medical consumables to assist in restocking clinics and hospitals.”
Click HERE for a link to the campaign’s GoFundMe page.
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here