We send humanitarian aid to Ukraine

December 2022 update: Sunflower Scotland has become a registered charity, so we created a "charity fundraiser" page: https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/Food-and-Power-for-Ukraines-Frontline-Villages

(the current page has been closed down)

"Sunflower Scotland" is a Volunteer Association registered under The Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO) rules. We send aid directly to Eastern Ukraine into the red zone 0-20km from the front line in Kharkiv and Donetsk regions.

We provide lifesaving food, aid and emotional support to the areas forgotten by the larger organisations. Charities generally stop delivering more than 50+km from the front; this is also where robust supply chains cease. Unfortunately, this means many of the most vulnerable people remain without access to food and supplies, and those with easy access to food in large cities have an abundance.

We raise money with highly targeted aims in mind:

1) Delivery of aid from the UK using Ukrainian lorries: We leverage Ukrainian lorries that are delivering to the UK to send locally purchased bulk products & donated goods to the east of Ukraine. It supports the Scottish and Ukrainian economies and is the cheapest way to do it while ensuring we don’t impact fragile supply chains in Ukraine.

2) Lifesaving safety equipment for volunteers: We provide essential equipment to the volunteers that work with us on the front line. Bulletproof helmets and vests, vehicle upgrades, and the necessary equipment to ensure we can safely track aid delivery to individuals in rural villages.

3) Emergency aid for liberated regions: After a town or village has been liberated, the joy quickly turns to nerves when civilians realise that no one will deliver supplies for 4-8 weeks. We aim to be the first supplies in whenever possible.

4) Travel for skilled volunteers: An essential part of the operation is to ensure continuous improvement and management of projects on the ground. Seeing problems with our eyes means we can engage with our volunteers and ensure processes are followed. We can also check if the team on the front line gets the support they need. We only pay for travel when it's necessary.

For "Sunflower Scotland", this conflict is not just a fad to support because it is on the news. We were founded by a small group of volunteers who all have families in Ukraine. We are all deeply impacted by this conflict. Our lorry drivers are all Ukrainians; we work directly with Ukrainian businesses and Ukrainian volunteers that are all doing their best to bring humanitarian aid to their home country as soon as possible to alleviate suffering.

Examples of where we work:

Kharkiv Region: We work with a group of three volunteers that visit regional areas around the city of Kharkiv. Just 40km from the Russian border, this city and region have been under constant bombardment since the beginning of the war. Our aid goes into 100 packets delivered daily using small vehicles 0-20km from the front line.

Konotop: A small town in Sumy Region that we worked with directly. Liberated in April, "Sunflower Scotland" was the first organisation on the ground. Delivering 20 tonnes of aid within hours of liberation supported this tightly knit community in northeast Ukraine. The single lorry load of support helped this rural town through a month of broken supply chains and rationed food.

Please check our website: sunflowerscotland.co.uk and follow our page on Facebook for any updates on new lorries or collection points: https://www.facebook.com/SunflowerScotland

Subscribe to our YouTube channel for video updates on aid distribution in Ukraine: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCyi9dwiTtOWTvdped

Please support us and buy T-shirts from a small local business Hairy Wee Monkey: https://www.facebook.com/HairyWeeMonkey/.

All net profit from the sale of these T-shirts is going directly to the support fund, which has been set up to support Ukraine. They sell T-shirts of all sizes, from kids sizes 1-2 to adults xxxl, at a price £15 per T-shirt.

Another way to support us is to buy Flash Pin Brooches. Dunbar-based LoullyMakes have created a small token of solidarity - a meaningful, wearable emblem of support - now available to buy to raise funds to support Sunflower Scotland and get vital supplies to the people of Ukraine.

Handmade using Lochcarron of Scotland's newly designed "Hame" tartan, in combination with Sky Blue and Grain Yellow ribbons, embellished with a golden Sunflower Charm- the colors and national flower of Ukraine. Gold Coloured Brass Kiltpin base. 100% of ALL income generated by the sale of these Flash Pin Brooches will be donated directly to Sunflower Scotland. They are available to buy here: https://www.loullymakesdesigns.com/listing/1189748618/stand-with-ukraine-fundraising-flash?fbclid=IwAR1pgXH0B5eyzpFW6tgpri1vdP75b1nYy1Rpd1ezu4pCpaFWRLh74lKdp-I

Or from Gordon Nicolson Kiltmakers:

https://nicolsonkiltmakers.com/products/fundraising-flash-brooch?fbclid=Iw

Thank you very much for your support, kindness and help!