UKC

As with many, I'm guilty of endlessly prevaricating and virtue signalling about this appalling mess.

Just donated to the British Red Cross - Ukraine crisis appeal 

If you are in a position to do so, I'd urge that you do too.

https://www.redcross.org.uk

Good call.  Donated.

That’s the one I went with. Was difficult to know which way to turn. 

Watch out for spam emails asking for donations, particularly in cryptocurrency, in response to the crisis. My wife had one pretending (thankfully very obviously) to be from Red Cross doing exactly that. Use the link from the OP or search out good causes yourself. Please do not respond directly to any approaches via email or social media for donations from anyone.

Nice one.  Donating to organisations like this is the best way.  Others include:  UNICEF, Doctors Without Borders, Medicines Sans Frontieres, International Rescue Committee.

And, specifically for LGBTQ+, this is worth a look

https://outrightinternational.org/ukraine?mc_cid=7a6103c503&mc_eid=ad47...

Just want to raise an issue of (for me) concern.  I receive donations, tonnes when people arrived from Afghanistan.  Huge amounts are not fit to give out (over 75%).  I notice people are collecting stuff to send over in lorries.  Lets say £1,000 in fuel, £500 ferry/tunnel, other costs most knock it up to £2k....... and endless paperwork and border issues (lets not go there).  So even if a couple of lorry drivers offer a freebie, its probably not worth it.  And when this stuff arrives at the end point, it then needs sorting, possibly adding to an already chaotic situation.  Giving cash to the experts also allows the money to be spent in local economies.  Least thing we should be doing is sending over tins of beans - they should be bought over there.  I wish the gov't would raise this, but I get they probably want people to feel they are helping so just stay quiet. 

If people really want to help, they should do as you have done.

Very valid points.

Not sure who the disliker is, probably someone who abandons tents at festivals with the excuse "They could be collected and sent to refugee camps", or who leaves bags of leggings with worn out crotches in charity shop doorway then gets upset when someone points out they'd be f all use in a Ukrainian winter.

I was once given 15 pairs of mens size 3-5 steel toe capped boots.  And a lab coat.  And 200 Benson and Hedges.  And a half empty bottle of shampoo.  BUT, we get quality stuff as well.  But Cash is King for this type of crisis.  In many cases it would be better to sell the donated goods and send the cash.  For example, sell that truck loads of Pampers at half price and donate the money to UNICEF.  

I'm linking to this... https://www.ukclimbing.com/news/2022/03/climbers_against_conflict_community... which is in depth and has more comprehensive list of options at the end as to what we can do.

Thanks for the prompt, I'll actually do that rather than intend to do that.

I was wondering about donating to the Red Cross in Poland, Slovakia, Romania, Hungary & Moldova as those countries deserve out support for taking in about 500,000 people in less than a week.

However I'll go for British Red Cross as they'll get the Gift Aid so they'll get an extra 25p for every pound donated.

Well done Elsewhere! I've assumed (maybe naively?) that there's an overarching management for the different Red Cross countries and they can wire funds to each other to be more logistically efficient? I *hope* that's the case.

I hope so too, maybe that's what the international red cross does. 

Done.

Thanks.

Mac

I've donated via Care International.

I donated through the disasters emergency committee:

https://www.dec.org.uk/

UK gov apparently matching the first £20M of public donations, and the red cross are one of the charities involved.

They are under the same umbrella, but distinctly different in operation: https://www.ifrc.org/international-red-cross-and-red-crescent-movement

But money well donated to the IFRC.

I am vacillating about where best to make a donation, and grateful for any thoughts. Most of the charities seem to be helping those who have left Ukraine, but I would like my donation to go to one helping those still in Ukraine.  In the absence of better advice, I will probably go for the Ukranian Red Cross https://redcross.org.ua/en/

Would normally in such situation donate to Medecin sans Frontieres, but I believe they have ceased operations in Ukraine at present. Any advice gratefully received. Thanks.

I agree, quite a lot of local effort here (strong links to Ukraine through post war migration, twinned with Lviv), lots of collecting and vehicles heading to Poland / Western Ukraine on Monday. I decided, that donating through the Disasters Emergency Committee was probably a better option.

Thanks for highlighting that donations were being matched for the DEC. Donated. 

Not an Ukrainian, but thank you. We have close relations with the Ukrainians here in Czechia and we are experiencing the greatest refugee wave in our history now.

But I have to say I am pleasantly suprised how helpful and willing people are.

Just an example: The man from small town of 4 000 people who employed about thirty Ukrainian men pledged to take care of their families after all the men returned to Ukraine to fight the Russian occupiers. He is about to receive some 150 people and it looks like the local mum club will get everything for their basic needs in less than twoo weks. (Two families I drove from the Polish border each arrived only with a plastic bag (and each child had a stuffed animal..))

There is possibility of direct donation to Ukrainian government and army if you decide to do so

https://war.ukraine.ua/donate/

I used translator  to support my weak english and I didn't notice it offered me stuffed animal instead of cuddly toy(?)

Good to see positive responses

(I'm bumping this thread, basically)

Let's keep going!

I came across this if anyone uses Revolut and wishing to donate to the Red Cross. I’ve not checked if it’s the case as don’t have the app.

”The British Red Cross

IMPORTANT! Revolut is matching all donations to the British red cross 1:1 during 1-8th March. Use this option if you have Revolut to double your donations. Available only in Revolut app.” Source: https://how-to-help-ukraine-now.super.site/help-translate/united-kingdom/do... .

Anyone know where I can buy a Ukrainian lapel ribbon, knowing that the funds will go to the right place? I see a few are being offered on eBay but I'm sceptical that the money raised will go to "the cause".

One, for instance, comes from China:

Looking further on eBay, the majority seem to come from China.

Thanks for posting, have done so.

A climber's campaign that I've just added to the Ukraine article:

Former Spanish climbing team member Marco Jubes is driving in a van + horse trailer to Ukraine from the Netherlands to deliver survival donations and is also purchasing extra medicines and goods. Donate to help fund his trip and purchase costs here: https://www.gofundme.com/f/wbxdh-helping-ukrainian-refugees

Bump

This article suggests that you can't

https://metro.co.uk/2022/03/04/where-to-buy-a-ukraine-ribbon-pin-16214754/

Yet.

Or that you can but the money will dissapear to a private retailer.

Is there a pressing need for you to acquire one?

Not really other than as a gesture of support

Could you make one?  You wouldn't even really have to make anything, just pin on a bit of yellow and a bit of blue ribbon.

If you fancied going a bit bigger and bolder than a ribbon, I just saw this...
https://www.outside.co.uk/brands/l-o/moon/moon-wind-cheater-jacket.html

Or knit a traffic cone cosy.

https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/19973538.glasgows-duke-wellington-statu...

Ha ha, fantastic.

Edit to add:
Ooft - it's a bold move the culprits 'outing' themselves though.  It's a 10-year stretch and/or an unlimited fine isn't it, defacing a statue for 'political' purposes these days?

There would be uproar as Wellington's cone is along established tradition and I expect that law is for England & Wales.