Mum-of-two Irena Piwniuk has been at the Ashton Ukraine Centre helping with the vast number of donated deliveries for those fleeing the conflict. 

Irena moved to Dukinfield some 14 years ago when she married and settled here from her home in Western Ukraine where her parents and other family members still live, and who are now caught up in the conflict.  

Irena also has family living in Russia and bravely shared her fears for all involved. 

Her own parents are in Ukraine and Irena has been in constant contact with them via Facebook and WhatsApp. 

She says as an only child, her whole family, including her two children who are 12 and seven, are extremely worried about the situation they are in. 

“They are trying to put a brave face on it for me. They are waiting to see what happens and are not ready to leave unless things get worse and they too are bombarded,” said Irena, who said they were going into a basement on occasions when air raid sirens sounded. 

Irena also painted a fascinating picture of the situation regarding her relatives living in Russia. 

“My family in Ukraine and I have got through to them so I think they are more aware of what is going on now. 

“When I first spoke with them they had no idea what was going on and disinformation over there is absolutely horrendous. 

“They believe what the Russian government is telling them but then when they speak to me and my parents they get a different side to the story so they are kind of stuck in the middle, so they don’t know who to trust. 

“Now they don’t have any access to social media and no Facebook, so I have been trying to send information and links via WhatsApp to keep them informed and so they can see what has been going on.” 

Irena said she has many Ukrainian friends who are volunteers in Poland who are contacting her to keep her informed about the items they need and what they should be buying to help. 

Larysa Iwanyckyj also has family in Ukraine and is also fearful for their safety.

They live in Ivano-Frankivsk in western Ukraine but the city there has been bombed by the Russian invaders targeting the airport.

“I am in touch with relatives daily and will get a message from them and so far they are OK,” said Larysa, but she added they did not want to leave their homeland and would most likely ‘stay and fight and help’.

Larysa’s grandfather came to Ashton after the Second World War, her own parents working behind the bar and helping to run the Ukrainian centre in the town. 

“I was practically born, bred and raised in the Ukrainian club in Ashton,” she joked.

“It has been a massive part of my heritage and I used to go to the Ukrainian school there and Ukrainian dancing there.”

Larysa was helping sort the items that were donated and said a huge thank you to everyone who was helping the cause. 

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