AS war in Ukraine continues to unfold, many people in Britain are looking for ways they can help.

The attack, launched by Russia on February 24, 2022, has seen one million people flee the warzone amid explosions and gunfire being heard in cities across Ukraine. Here are the ways people in the UK can help…

Which charities are helping Ukraine?

Aid agencies worldwide are raising funds to help soldiers and civilians affected by the war in Ukraine.

The UK government has pledged to raise £20million to double donations received by the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC), made up of 15 UK charities.

Charities are raising funds to put towards food, water, shelter, and medical care among other things.

British Red Cross

So far, British Red Cross (BRC) teams in Ukraine have distributed more than 30,000 food and hygiene parcels and delivered first aid training to more than 2,000 people in metro stations and bomb shelters in Ukraine.

The humanitarian network is also supporting hospitals and healthcare facilities, supporting firefighters and civil protection units, helping families stay in contact with each other, and educating people on the risks of explosives through donations.

Additionally, donations to the BRC will provide towards repairing vital infrastructure and helping to repair homes, healthcare centres, schools, and community centres.

TOP STORIES ON UKRAINE

Visit the BRC website to donate.

Oxfam

Donations to Oxfam help to provide food, water and warm clothing to people affected by the war in Ukraine.

The charity is also providing vulnerable families with hygiene equipment and working with neighbouring organisations in Ukraine to best meet the needs of the country.

Visit the Oxfam website to donate.

UN Refugee Agency

People can donate to the United Nations Refugee Agency to provide emergency help for families displaced in Ukraine.

The United Nations has called for immediate humanitarian funding to help people inside Ukraine as well as those seeking shelter beyond its borders.

Visit the UN Refugee Agency website to donate.

With Ukraine

The UK’s Ukrainian Embassy has set up its own donation service, With Ukraine.

A statement on its webpage says: "We are fighting with all our strength, we will not give in, we are the thin blue and yellow line that separates humanity from pure evil."

Visit the With Ukraine website to donate.

The Association of Ukrainians in Great Britain

The Association of Ukrainians in Great Britain (AUGB), the largest representative body for Ukrainians in the UK, has raised more than £1.1million so far.

The organisation said the donations would fund medicine, food and other essentials.

The charity said: "We are more moved and grateful than we can say by the generosity and support of the people of the UK.

"Thanks to our aid partners being prepared in advance on the ground in Ukraine, 11 tonnes of medical supplies were transferred to the main hospital in Kharkiv on the day of the invasion.

"Food supplies were delivered to 5,000 people sheltering from bombing in Kyiv on March 1, 2022, and food has been delivered to people in the south of Ukraine who are suffering from vicious Russian attacks.

"Much more will be needed and we’ll carry on helping for as long as it takes. The large charities under the DEC umbrella have now launched appeals for Ukraine and we don’t mind where people donate as long as the Ukrainian people get the medical and humanitarian help they so desperately need."

Visit the AUGB website to donate.

Polish Humanitarian Action

The top priority of Polish Humanitarian Action is to help Ukraine's most vulnerable groups including elderly people, women, and children.

In Dorohusk, Poland, the charity is distributing food, hot drinks, hygiene products, nappies, and blankets as well as providing information and help in finding transport.

Charity members have travelled into Ukraine to set up an emergency point in Rawa Raska.

Helena Krajewska from Polish Humanitarian Action said the most effective way to support charities is to donate money rather than goods.

She said: "This is the most basic this we need. We can use it to buy products themselves and send them to Ukraine and to those crossing the borders.

"If the people of the UK would like to help, rather than travelling here I would suggest donating the money they would use to buy a plane ticket to come here to a certified Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO).

"The needs in Ukraine are immense, even before this war began. The number of people that will need help is estimated to be 2.9 million and that is rising.

"Some cities have no water, electricity or gas and many hospitals have been hit."

Visit the Polish Humanitarian Action website to donate.

Project Hope

Project Hope is on the ground in Ukraine providing essential medicines and medical supplies.

Emergency response teams are situated in Poland, Romania, and Moldova to coordinate with local organisations in and around Ukraine, with donations helping these teams continue their work.

Visit the Project Hope website to donate.

Unicef

Unicef UK has raised more than £1million to support children affected by the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

The charity is helping to provide families with access to clean water and healthy food.

Unicef is also ensuring child health and protection services continue.

Visit the Unicef website to donate.

International Rescue Committee

The International Rescue Committee is working with teams in Ukraine and Poland to help families fleeing the conflict.

Donating to the charity helps continue their work with displaced families in Ukraine as well as Yemen, Syria, Afghanistan and more.

Visit the International Rescue Committee website to donate.

Choose Love

Non-governmental UK charity Choose Love is reaching out to existing partners in Ukraine to source emergency help for organisations there.

Donations will support existing projects that are providing vital aid and services to those still in and fleeing the country.

Aid will include emergency medical care, food, shelter, clothes, legal support, support for the LGBTQIA+ community, and mental health support.

Visit the Choose Love website to donate.

Come Back Alive

Come Back Alive is the largest foundation providing support to the Ukrainian Armed Forces.

Donations will help provide assistance to approximately 100 combat units of the Ukrainian armed forces.

Visit the Come Back Alive website to donate.

Nova Ukraine

Nova Ukraine is providing immediate aid to people and families with children affected by war.

Donations are allocated daily to frontline volunteers helping provide emergency resources to both refugees as well as citizens still in Ukraine.

Visit the Nova Ukraine website to donate.

How else can I donate to Ukraine?

Aside from donating to charities, people across the world have been crowdfunding, gathering supplies, organising events and starting petitions in a bid to help the people of Ukraine.

Ukraine's government has raised cryptocurrency worth almost $13million of bitcoin and other digital tokens following an appeal on social media.

A fundraising appeal on behalf of Kyiv Independent on GoFundMe set up by Jakub Parusinski has raised more than £800,000.

Inna Schorr and Nina Weinstein have set up a JustGiving page that has now raised more than £15,000 to help mothers and children from the Ukraine that are now in Poland.

Former HuffPost senior editor Chris York has raised more than £12,000 on his GoFundMe page while on the ground in Poland helping Ukranian refugees.

Worldwide people are offering shelter in their own homes for refugees escaping the conflict.

Shelter4ua.com allows people to connect people from Ukraine with someone who can offer them shelter.

Air BnB has also offered free housing to 100,000 Ukranian refugees.

Donation centres have opened across the UK accepting clothes and blankets.

Many are looking for outerwear such as warm coats, hats, and gloves as a large number of refugees are in cold climates.

Others are looking for baby equipment and sanitary products.

Events are also being organised to help raise money.

A rave is set to take place in London organised by R3 Soundsystem.

Set to take place on March 10, 2022, at Venue MOT, attendees will be able to see performances from the Blessed Madonna, Midland, Hot Chip and more with proceeds going to Bündnis Entwicklung Hilft, Fulcrum UA and All Out.

Protests have taken place across London, Glasgow, Manchester, Birmingham and more with thousands attending.

Trafalgar Square was filled with people on February 27, 2022, waving Ukrainian flags and holding up protest signs.

People of the UK can also write to their local MP expressing support for Ukraine and asking them to lobby the government to help in any way.

Petitions have been set up online that you can sign, many of which are directed at the government.

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