Fundraising in Ripon is continuing for refugees seeking sanctuary in the UK and elsewhere.
On Saturday evening (April 9) the family of Ripon man Lewis Edwards has arranged a casino and curry evening to support the appeal launched after he fled Kyiv with partner Tanya Bogdanovska and set up a transfer station for fellow refugees in Slovakia.
Though the couple have left Slovakia and are currently in Spain, awaiting clearance for both of them to come to the UK, the money raised by the appeal continues to help Ukrainian people.
At the time of publication, the gofundme page set up in late February has raised almost £19,700 and Ali Edwards, Lewis’s mother, told the Stray Ferret:
“This will be our final fundraiser and it would be fabulous if we could pass the £20,000 target that we set.”
The event, like the music bingo evening last month, will be held at The Magdalens on Princess Road and tickets at £10 apiece are available from the pub.
The Mayor of Ripon Eamon Parkin and his consort Nigel Guy (pictured right) hosted a previous fundraising event for Ukraine at The Magdalens Pub last month.
Attendees will be entitled to a curry and given a fistful of ‘fun dollars’ to buy chips – not to eat, but to play the blackjack table or give the roulette wheel a spin.
Ms Edwards said:
“The response to the appeal has been incredible and reflects the generosity of the people of Ripon.
“We are grateful to so many people, and particularly thank the city’s Mayor Eamon Parkin and his partner Nigel, for the kindness that they have shown in letting us host this and the music bingo event at their pub.”
Sponsors for Saturday evening include Davis and Lund estate agents, Lynne Furlong, owner of DogZone and Ms Edwards’ own business, Pamperyourself Ripon.
A raffle for prizes donated by local independent businesses will also be held.
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Ripon responds to desperate plight of Ukraine people
Reminders of the desperate plight of the embattled people of Ukraine have been evident across Ripon in recent days.
From the Rotary Club of Ripon collection at a bustling Market Place, to the contemplative silence of churches, there have been opportunities for residents to provide financial support, pray, or both.
On Rotary Way, customers at the Marks & Spencer food store are being invited to make a donation when they pay for their shopping. Similar collections are being held at other Ripon shops and businesses
Further down Rotary Way, an iconic image from another war provides a simple and moving message of support for passing motorists, cyclists and pedestrians.
The silhouette of the First World War soldier and his sweetheart has had the blue and yellow ribbons of Ukraine added along with a posy of flowers of the same colours.
The Our Lady of Fountains Altar at St Wilfrid’s Catholic Church, where The Pope’s prayer for peace can be seen
Prayers were said at churches of all denominations in the city and surrounding area yesterday and will continue throughout the week.
At St Wilfrid’s Catholic Church on Coltsgate Hill, the altar of Our Lady of Fountains is decked in yellow and blue. The altar also displays the prayer for peace of Pope Francis.
The altar was bequeathed to the church by the family of the 1st Marquess of Ripon, a man known for his kindness and compassion, who died in 1909.
The Mayor of Ripon, Councillor Eamon Parkin and his consort Nigel Guy (right), are pictured with Ali Edwards (centre) her partner Lizzie, and some of the 40-plus people who attended the fundraising event
Ripon’s Lewis Edwards, who escaped Kyiv late last month with his Ukrainian partner Tanya Bogdanovska and is now in Slovakia, spoke via his mobile phone to family, friends and supporters gathered at a fundraising event held at the Magdalens pub on Saturday evening.
Mr Edwards told attendees at the packed venue, how former Harrogate soldier Mike Heelan had arrived safely in Slovakia to lend an extra experienced pair of hands to the 10-strong team, which is helping refugees seeking sanctuary in countries across Europe.
The event, hosted by the pub’s owners, the Mayor of Ripon Councillor Eamon Parkin and his consort Nigel Guy, raised more than £1,300, which be will added to £16,000-plus already raised through donations to the gofundme page set up by Mr Edwards’ family.
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As rockets and mortar fire rained down on Kyiv and Russian tanks moved menacingly on the capital’s streets, a former Ripon Grammar School student and his partner, hatched a plan to flee Ukraine and help others seeking sanctuary abroad.
Teachers Lewis Edwards, 33, and Tanya Bogdanovska, 30, arrived in Uzhhorod in the early hours of yesterday morning, after leaving Kyiv on Friday to drive 500 kilometres to the border with Slovakia.
Today they face a long wait to cross into the neighbouring country, where their plans for a shelter that will provide assistance to fellow refugees from Ukraine are starting to take shape.
They have growing support from a team of people that includes doctors and other professionals.
Fundraising and advice
Back home in Ripon, Lewis’s family launched a Go Fund Me page yesterday, which aims to raise an initial £10,000 to get their humanitarian venture off the ground.
At the time of publication, more than £3,000 had been raised.
Advice is being provided by Nicola David, chair of Ripon City of Sanctuary, who has expertise in resettlement programmes from her work with organisations that have assisted Syrian refugees.
She said:
“I was in contact with Lewis yesterday to offer advice on the structures that need to be put into place, both here and in Slovakia, to support the shelter in its work.”
Lewis Edwards, with his mother, Ali. Picture: the Edwards family
His mother, Ali, said:
“We have been worrying, as we have witnessed hour by hour coverage of Russia’s invasion and attacks on Kyiv and other parts of Ukraine, while praying that Lewis and Tanya will get out safely.
“I’m very proud of them for the way that they always think about others and hope that people in Ripon and further afield will give their financial support at this desperate time for the people of Ukraine.”
The horror in Ukraine
Last night, Lewis told the Stray Ferret about the horror of seeing his adopted country invaded by Russia.
He said:
“A week ago, Tanya and I were teaching children at a private secondary school in Kyiv and on Thursday, our lives were turned upside down as the first rockets and mortars were fired at Ukraine and the invasion began.
“We sought safety in the shelter of an underground metro station, but could hear explosions above and when we emerged we discovered that residential blocks, schools, hospitals and nurseries in Kyiv and other parts of Ukraine had been indiscriminately attacked by the Russians.
“Then came a terrifying moment as we walked along the street and heard the sound of a gun being cocked. We didn’t know if we were the target, all we could do was hope and fortunately we survived.”
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He added:
“We have seen some surreal sights in Kyiv and on our journey to the border, including old ladies with machine guns, who are ready to fight for their country street by street
“People are making Molotov cocktails to throw at tanks and changing road signs to confuse the Russian invaders. One side read: ‘Russians turn left and up your own ar**’
“It’s clear to us that Putin has made a complete misjudgement, thinking that Ukraine’s military would surrender, but the soldiers, airmen and citizens are ready to fight to the last.
“Tanya and I just hope that further practical aid will be provided by NATO as soon as possible.”
“It’s really important that the United Kingdom makes an immediate open, welcoming and warm hearted commitment of sanctuary to those who wish to leave Ukraine.“Rip up the usual bureaucracy and let’s just say they are welcome and we will make it as easy as possible to be here.”
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Mr Smith has 37,000 followers on Twitter and his message has 6,000 shares and 38,000 likes.
Sanctuary organisations in Harrogate and Ripon continue to re-settle refugee families from the war-torn countries of Syria and Afghanistan.
A teacher from Knaresborough says she needs more support to help those seeking asylum settle into the Harrogate district.
Anne Morley has spent her free time in recent months taking supplies like shoes and mobile phones to asylum seekers in Leeds.
There are currently around 130 asylum seekers living in a hotel in Leeds. The coronavirus pandemic has meant that they are not able to go into detention centres.
Ms Morley has won the support of some people in Knaresborough but she needs more help. Asylum seekers are not entitled to any benefits before they have gone through a legal process and gained refugee status.
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She says it is a life in limbo for the asylum seekers after a treacherous journey from war-torn countries like Syria, Iraq and Sudan. Many are not able to tell their families that they have arrived safely in the UK because they have no working phones.
That is something that Ms Morley and charity Care4Calais has tried to change. Ms Morley told the Stray Ferret that asylum seekers want to come to the UK and contribute:
“Some people have this view that asylum seekers want to come here and claim benefits but it is simply untrue. They all want to work and build better lives for themselves. I know people who have gone onto work in Harrogate’s hospital or as carers or even as mechanics.”
Her plea for people to donate to the Care4Calais emergency appeal comes as the body of 16-year-old Sudanese boy attempting to cross the English Channel was found earlier today.