Wrapathon continues to bring joy to Ukraine
The organiser behind an annual Christmas event for children in Ukraine said it continued to bring joy to them four years on.
The “Wrapathon”, which started in December 2022, involved hundreds of volunteers gift-wrapping toys, books and other donated items at events held across the country, including in Ipswich.
Organiser Jeremy Fish of Plant & Hire Aid Alliance said since its inception, 65,000 gifts had been donated.
He added he was always “bombarded” with photos of the children opening the presents in January, which he described as “lovely”.
“They send us back all these photographs of the presents being unwrapped and the joy on their faces and the parents’ faces,” he explained to BBC Radio Suffolk’s Sarah Lilley.
“I had a very touching note from a parent… they said to me, ‘Jeremy, I don’t know what the Ukrainians need more at this stage, is it weapons or is it gifts?’.
“I was puzzled by this, and I read on.
“The parents said, ‘Actually, we need gifts because if our children are happy, then it gives us as parents a great deal of comfort at these very challenging and difficult times.
“I thought it was a lovely and touching note.”
Volunteers come together each year to wrap the presents [BBC]
Mr Fish had hoped 2025 would bring an end to the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, which started in February 2022.
“They are so, so grateful for the support of the British public… it is getting harder now after four years, but we still have to support them,” he added.
Another large Wrapathon event takes place later at Claydon High School in Ipswich before two 40ft (12.19m) trucks take the presents to Ukraine on 8 December.
“It has been a lot of hard work, but a lot of fun,” he said.
“There will be some Ukrainians there who are coming to help wrap, so it will be a jolly, fun day where we’ll hopefully do a bit of good.”
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