A Mid Argyll appeal has announced it will halt collections, while continuing its fundraising efforts for Ukraine after the Russian invasion.
Mid Argyll Helps Ukraine (MAHU) has been sending vital aid to Ukraine since March 2022 when Nikki Thompson and Amanda Duffy-Brown founded the voluntary effort.
They had been collecting generous donations from local residents and those further afield at the Mailbox in Lochgilphead, but lost their free storage facility there in February.
This meant their collections were moved to Ms Thompson’s home and Ms Duffy-Brown’s D&D’s Wool and Crafts shop in Lochgilphead.
Ms Thompson told the Argyllshire Advertiser: “It just wasn’t feasible to carry on with the collections because I was using the full house and we could never store enough.
“The donations and support we have received from not just in Mid Argyll, but far and wide as well, has been outstanding and this is just a change in direction for us.
“We are still doing our best to support Ukraine and are in communication with people located in different areas to find out what they are needing.
“We would like to say a massive thank you to the Mid Argyll and the wider community for all their help and support over the last 18 months.”
Through the use of artic lorries and smaller vehicles, the appeal has sent 16 shipments of humanitarian aid and donations to Ukraine.
These included a medical lorry, which made the long journey to Eastern Europe with a full shipment of hospital beds and vital medical equipment.
In January this year the appeal also sent a ‘Santa Lorry’ to the Scotland-Ukraine charity in Vinnystia.
These were transported from Lochgilphead by a 44ft lorry, after packing out the Mailbox with 2,874 boxes of toys, humanitarian aid, medical supplies and generators.
The appeal has also cited the rising costs of sending lorries to Ukraine as one of the other challenges they have faced this year.
In a Facebook post, Ms Thomson added: “We have established a wide network of contacts and voluntary organisations in Ukraine, so moving forward we will focus on raising funds to help them carry out their excellent work.
“This will allow them to purchase priority supplies locally at a much reduced cost and will assist them with funding towards fuel costs for delivering humanitarian aid across Ukraine.”