Braintree deli in bid to support Ukrainians with supplies

Specialist Polish delicatessen Minidelikatesy Kubus is going all out to help Ukrainian citizens by collecting goods to send to the war-torn nation.

The shop, which is in Braintree, started an appeal for items on social media on Saturday.

Since then, they say they have had hundreds of items donated to the shop.

It comes after Russia launched a shocking invasion of Ukraine last Thursday.

There has been intense fighting in major Ukrainian cities such as Kiev, Kharkiv and Odessa, with Ukraine inflicting heavy damage on the Russian army and Russia conducting devastating missile strikes.

It is hoped the supplies raised by Minidelikatesy Kubus will go some way to helping the Ukrainian people caught in the conflict.

The shop’s first shipment is expected today and will see the items transported to Przemysl, a Polish town on the Ukrainian boarder, thanks to support from Przewozy Trans-Adams, a trans-European haulage and travel firm.

Goods the shop wants to collect include mattresses, blankets, sleeping bags, nappies for children and adults, bandages, first aid kits, bed linen, cleaning product and toiletries.

Other items include dry food, torches, fresh batteries, power banks and thermal clothing and bedding.

A spokesman for the shop said: “We made an announcement on Saturday for a fundraiser.

“On Sunday, we already had 100 boxes with products for shipping.

“Today another 120 parcels. Tomorrow we are leaving on our buses to London.

“We still take donations. I don’t know how long it will be.

“We have several volunteers who help us in the shop every day, from morning to evening.

“All things must be sorted, packed in boxes and labelled. That is why we need as many volunteers as possible.

“We have been in Braintree for 11 years and we are happy to help.

“What our community is doing is amazing. We have volunteers of various nationalities – they are Poles, English, Ukrainians, Estonians and many others.”