More than 100 people turn out in Harborough village to hand over mini-mountain of supplies for Ukraine

There are another two collections taking place today
Photo by Andrew Carpenter.Photo by Andrew Carpenter.
Photo by Andrew Carpenter.

Over 100 generous people turned out in Great Bowden last night to hand over a mini-mountain of emergency supplies for the desperate people of Ukraine.

Individuals and families from all over Harborough made a beeline for the village near Market Harborough to get behind the urgent wartime appeal.

They donated scores of bags of nappies, medical supplies, clothes and other vital supplies for devastated men, women and children fleeing their war-torn homeland in eastern Europe.

Photo by Andrew Carpenter.Photo by Andrew Carpenter.
Photo by Andrew Carpenter.

New collections will be held at Great Bowden village hall from 12midday to 12.30pm today and from 7pm-7.30pm tonight.

You will also be able to contribute vital donations at Haselbech Church between 8pm and 8.30pm tonight.

Oliver Le Sueur, of Great Bowden, is leading the successful local initiative just days after Russian president Vladimir Putin stunned the world by ordering his armed forces to invade Ukraine.

“It’s absolutely heartbreaking to see what is happening to the people of Ukraine and to their beautiful country.

Photo by Andrew Carpenter.Photo by Andrew Carpenter.
Photo by Andrew Carpenter.

“We all have to do what ever we can practically to help those poor people as they flee Ukraine in huge numbers,” said Oliver today.

“A Polish nanny agency in London is organising collections in the city to support refugees – and we decided to get behind them here in Harborough.

“And it was just amazing last night.

“Over 100 people from all over the area poured into Great Bowden with bags and boxes of donations.

“It was just incredible – and the community spirit was just brilliant,” said Oliver.

“We’ve filled four vans that have been donated to us to ferry all the kit donated to us to our store at Haselbech church.

“There was a massive queue of people donating a wide range of critical aid for the people being forced out of their own country through no fault of their own.

“We will be back collecting at the village hall in Great Bowden from 12-12.30 this afternoon and again from 7-7.30 tonight.

“We’ll also be talking in fresh contributions at Haselbech church from 8-8.30 tonight,” said Oliver.

“We’ve heard there’s been a sudden run on nappies being bought at shops and stores in Market Harborough for us so we are not appealing for them at the moment.

“Medical supplies are right at the top of our list of priorities.

“Please donate first aid kit and triage dressings and medication such as Ibuprofen and Paracetamol.

“We’ll also take all the baby food that you can bring us.

“And please dedicate one box or bag to a certain item – such as medical supplies, for example.

“That will make it much easier for us to sort out logistically and load up,” said Oliver.

“We’ve had a 7.5 tonne lorry donated to us by a business in Spratton.

“We plan to transport all the donations to a big depot in Newmarket tomorrow afternoon.

“And the convoy of supplies, provisions and materials is going to be driven over to Poland or Hungary on Monday next week.

“They will not be taken into Ukraine itself because it’s just too difficult to get into the country.

“We are also hoping to stage more collections here in Great Bowden next week as well as setting up a new just giving fundraising page today.

“I’d just like to say a massive thank you to every person who has thrown their weight behind us at this terrible time,” said Oliver.

“They have been amazing.

“We are lucky to live in such a great free country as the UK.

“Both ourselves as citizens and our government have to do all we can to help the people of Ukraine in these terrible times.”

If you would like to get behind the SoS and support Oliver and his team of volunteers you can email him here: