Dr Khan invited me to write a short piece about a recent venture I have been involved in: Quilts for Ukraine. I would like to begin by emphasising the importance of supporting those who are most affected by the consequences of conflict, anywhere. With the Russian invasion of Ukraine starting in February, we saw a mass exodus of people fleeing their homes in order to find a safer and calmer life. Many left Ukraine with what little they could pack into their suitcases. Dramatic images at border crossings in Poland, Moldova, Hungary, Slovakia and Romania showed mothers and children leaving with very few basic possessions. A humanitarian crisis had started.

Many people instantly started to help those who had nothing, that’s when I was asked by Dr Khan and Ms Lechner to help arrange sending support for the refugees. Ms Lechner had made some amazing quilts and wanted to pass them onto the refugees. However, she ran into the problem of finding a charity that would accept material support. At this point, I volunteered to help send the quilts directly to the refugees. Having relatives in Poland we arranged for packages to be sent to my family and then passed on to the refugees. Even this little act of support ultimately helped four families and our aim is continue helping more in the weeks and months to come. It’s important to help those who have lost everything; however, we must also remember to constantly provide support. One charity event will not fix a crisis, but if we persist, we can help those who are suffering due to one.

Szymon Buras
Year 12, Didcot Sixth Form