LOCAL volunteers who have gathered donations to send to war ravaged Ukraine have been told by a Polish charity they have made the largest contribution of goods in Ireland.

More than 50 pallets of donations including food, clothes and medical items are now making their way from Clare to Poland, where non-profit Polish charity WOSP will distribute them to Ukrainian people in need.

The Ukrainian Relief Fund Committee have been co-ordinating the collection, sorting and packing of goods from individuals, groups, schools and businesses across the county in recent days from their base in the Tracklands Business Park in Ennis. On Wednesday the last of the donations were piled onto a truck and waved off by the volunteers.

Julian Czucha, who along with his wife Paulina Podstawska is part of the committee, explains they had initially planned a small collection collaborating with volunteers in Ennis through the local Polish School (Polanka). However, the generosity of the people of Clare soon saw donations and offers of help exceed all expectations.

“We started out with a small collection at the Polish School in the CBS and we put it out on social media and it just spread from there. So many people got involved and it just escalated, it was great to see. We had people from all over the county come together.”

As more and more people got involved and donations continued to grow, the volunteers moved to the business park where the items were sorted and packed for distribution.

“On behalf of the Ukrainian Relief Fund Committee we sincerely thank you all for the enormous contributions that have been received in the last week in Tracklands.” Two artic loads with 48 pallets have been sent to a depot in Dublin for onward travel to Poland through WOSP, with another six going directly to Poland. “They told us we are the largest contributor of goods in Ireland,” he says.

The group expressed its thanks to very one who assisted the effort.

“We want to give very special thanks to the local organisations, companies, business people, towns, villages, and schools that have supplied us with goods and services and transport.

“To the truck driver, the people who supplied us with lifting gear, pallets, storage bay and the food for the volunteers, go raibh míle maith agaibh go léir.

“To the volunteers, we will never forget you and you will be in our hearts and minds forever. We learnt so much in the last week including the history of small towns like Miltown Malbay and Ennistymon from our Irish friends.

“From North Clare to South, from East to West, what great people live in this county. We are privileged to live amongst you. The companies, organisations, schools, groups and individuals that helped out, are too numerous to mention, so to each and everyone one of you go raibh míle maith agaibh go léir. An Chlár abú.”

While this donation drive has finished, Julian reveals that this does not necessarily mean the end for the committee.

“If we are going to do anything more then we will probably concentrate here in Clare, people from Ukraine are going to arrive here and they will need help and a good start.”

The donation drive was inundated with offers of support from people all over Clare. Irene Van Zyl, originally from South Africa and now living in Ennis was among the volunteers, saying she got involved because, “People are suffering in Ukraine and I felt so much for them, it’s overwhelming”.

It is good to help others, and to see what everybody has been doing has been just amazing.” She said that volunteering was “hard work” but it was worth it to help the people of Ukraine.

Ennis Councillor Mary Howard was also among those taking part with the initiative which received support from both Clare County Council and Clare Civil Defence.

She describes the donation drive as “extraordinary” and was particularly touched to see people of all nationalities come together on the project.

“The community spirit that was there, everybody working side by side was just amazing. People just wanted to help in any way that they could. For me, it just restored my faith in humanity. It has been a really difficult week looking at the news and what is going on in the world and to see what was going on in our little town and the spirit of people who just wanted to help and make a difference.”