IN a garage in Burtonwood Industrial Estate, there is a bulk of donations that have been collected to support Ukrainians who are currently facing a war against Russia.
Sebastian Marciniak, who is based in Orford, is part of the Polish community in Warrington doing their best to support Ukrainians in need.
He saw two girls on a Polish Facebook group looking for space to house donations and Sebastian could provide this at SMR Motorsport.
The 33-year-old, who moved from Poland in 2008, said: “I think it’s a human right to help and I like to help.
“I was watching the news and I said to my partner, we have to help and we have to do something.
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“I put it in Polish and my friend Jeff wrote it down in English and the message was shared far and wide.
“I have had lots of calls and people have been bringing everything. I didn’t think we would get this many calls.
“As much as we can, we will help. I can’t imagine what I would do in that situation.
“It’s not our war but you still have to help.
“We are collecting until Thursday and I know it's short notice but if we need more items and it goes on for longer, we can expand that.”
They will not be collecting more clothes and instead ask for the likes of toiletries, blankets, toys and everyday essentials.
Sebastian is collecting from his other work and his partner is collecting from her work to add to the effort.
His friend, Jeff Leake from Arnway Limited at the industrial centre saw Sebastian’s post and he has the vehicles to move items.
READ MORE > Where in Warrington you can donate to Ukraine
Jeff, of Holmes Chapel, said: “We all clumped together and it started off being a collection point to now we might be looking at helping more by taking stuff and collecting around Warrington.
“Whatever you think you’d need for a week or two away and the things that you would grab on your way out of the house.
“As good as these major charities are and as big as they are, it can be quite hard for them to switch direction and divert from one disaster to another.
“We just want to be a part of something that is fast, reactive and gets stuff going.”
The 29-year-old continued: “People from all walks of life are helping from CEOs to people that don’t earn a lot of money – people are doing what they can to help.
“A little bit or a lot, people are doing what they can. Anything is better than sitting back and watching it happen.
“Around 95 per cent of this effort has come from the Polish community in Warrington and they know what life is like in that area.
“We’re not calling ourselves saviours but we have the space and the gear to move it around, it all amounts up.
“We have a busy couple of days planned.”
Other collection points for donations across Warrington include Wisla Mini Markets, TK Maxx, The Feathers and The Cat and Lion.
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