Deli owner’s plea over Ukraine aid effort donations

An east Belfast deli owner has urged people to donate money and medical supplies for Ukrainian refugees, having collected almost 15 tons of donations with other volunteers in the past week.

Monika Rawson, who owns Smokey Deli on Grand Parade, said people should now concentrate on giving cash and first aid supplies having been inundated with clothing, with another two lorries full of supplies set to depart from Belfast to the Ukrainian border this week.

The restaurant owner – who moved to Belfast from Poland in 2007 – also urged people to donate their time volunteering for the many initiatives to help Ukraine.

“I was so upset watching it. My grandfather’s family is originally from Lviv in Ukraine,” she said.

“We still have family there. It is just so hard for all the people over there. Polish people have been in war before. I was hoping never to see this happen again in our lifetimes.

“My family is 40km from the border. They are overwhelmed with people coming. Poland is not a rich country. They have good hearts, but they don’t have a lot. I know we need to help them.

“Most of the donations are going to Poland for the refugees and some going directly to Ukraine.

“What is most needed is medication for hospitals. We are also going to try and arrange some help for animals stuck in Kyiv.

“We just are trying to make a positive difference. I cannot move my hands from handing everything. Through this week we collected nearly 15 tons.

“We suspended collections because the warehouse cannot process everything. We need armies to process the amount of stuff.

“Not only Belfast is collecting, but all the world is also collecting. I have a cousin in Germany and they are sending lorries every week. The response across humanity has been incredible.

“The next van from Belfast is going on Tuesday, it is a big lorry with 20 pallets. I think there may even be two going.

“People are just so generous. The local community has been so good with donations and help.”

In a post on social media, Ms Rawson said the deli is seeking volunteers to help process donations at their warehouse in Mallusk and explained there is no more room for donations until Wednesday.