Stroud District Council staff are raising charity funds by running, walking, cycling and swimming the equivalent distance to Ukrainian capital city Kyiv.
The aim was for staff to hit a total of 1,612 miles; the distance between Ebley and Kyiv. This challenge is taking place for the whole of April with the goal of raising at least £1,000.
But because the pledged milage stands at 2,686 miles, the aim is to clock up another 538 miles to ‘make the journey back’ as well.
The money raised will go to the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) member ActionAid’s Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal which is working to meet all immediate needs including food, water, protection, and trauma care.
“I feel very proud that the service has started this challenge, it is a great way to support a very important cause that everyone can contribute to,” said SDC Head of Development Management Geraldine LeCointe, whose team is leading the fundraising effort. “The attack on Ukraine has devastated many lives but we hope that by raising this money it will make a difference, no matter how big or small. Donating just £10 could provide essential hygiene supplies for one person for a whole month.”
Stroud District Council Leader Doina Cornell added: “I’m proud of our staff for stepping up in this way – supporting the DEC is a really effective way of making a difference to the lives of people whose lives have been turned upside down.”
Donations can be made at https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/developmentmanagement
Separately, Stroud District Council is inspecting homes which kind-hearted Stroud district residents are offering places in for those displaced by the war, and SDC officers are working evenings and weekends to help speed the process up. It’s part of a process involving Government, Gloucestershire County Council, and Gloucestershire Action for Refugees and Asylum Seekers (GARAS).
The leaders of the co-operative alliance of Labour, the Green Party, and the Liberal Democrat parties which run Stroud District Council have pledged to do all they can to support those affected. To find out more about what the council is doing and how to help, visit https://www.stroud.gov.uk/community-and-living/support-for-ukraine
