Young sisters from South Cumbria have raised over £6,000 to help people in Ukraine.
Alicja Krepa, 10, of Grange, wrote a leaflet explaining the plight of Ukrainians fleeing the war and, with her seven-year-old sister Helena, gave talks at Milnthorpe and Arnside Catholic churches as well as Allithwaite Primary School, which both girls attend.
A cake sale and non-uniform days at school followed.
Mum Ania expected the cake sale to raise £500 and is hugely pleased that all the initiatives have already raised over £6,000. She said: “The community here are so supportive and everybody wants to help”.
The family originate from a town 40 miles from Poland’s border with Ukraine and their relations still live there, so the war feels very close and personal to them. Their friends and family have taken in refugees and have taken food to the border.
Now the girls’ enthusiasm has galvanised Grange Brownies and Guides into action. Alicia and Helena are both Brownies and their 11-year-old cousin Nina Nowak is a Guide.
Their units have made greetings cards in Ukranian for the refugees and are planning to plant and sell sunflower seeds.
Brownie and Guide leader Barb Quine said: “The girls plant their seed, decorate the pot, sell it for a donation, for the buyer to watch the seed grow, uniting us all in our wish for peace in Ukraine”.
The family will go to Poland at Easter and use the money raised in Grange to buy whatever the refugees from Ukraine need at that time.
