Banbury Cross Health Centre staff and patients collect items for Ukrainian refugees

Nurse at Banbury Cross Health Centre organises collection to help Ukrainian refugees
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Banbury Cross Health Centre staff and patients collect much needed items for the people of war-torn Ukraine.

Practice Nurse Sue Hiam was so overwhelmed after watching stories of the brave people of Ukraine, that she felt compelled to help by organising a collection by the health centre and its patients.

She said: "I saw one story about a gentleman of 80, who had stayed behind to help fight, with just a change of clothes in a small suitcase.

Boxed items from the Banbury Cross Health Centre with practice nurse Sue Hiam (submitted photo)Boxed items from the Banbury Cross Health Centre with practice nurse Sue Hiam (submitted photo)
Boxed items from the Banbury Cross Health Centre with practice nurse Sue Hiam (submitted photo)

"I didn't know what I could do, but I knew I needed to try and do something to help."

She contacted Banbury for Ukraine, currently utilising the old Debenhams store at Castle Quay in Banbury's town centre, to see what they needed.

The staff at Banbury Cross Health Centre practice rallied round and collected medical supplies, clothes, bedding, towels, toys, baby goods, toiletries, and non-perishable long-life food items. A donation of PPE was also made by the management and staff at Fairholme House in Bodicate, where Sue's mum is a resident.

Red Cross donation boxes have been placed in the waiting areas for small change or pocket money, along with boxes for patients to donate baby goods, toiletries, and non-perishable long life food items.

Sue and her colleagues then sorted all the items and boxed them up ready for collection. As a final act of kindness and support, she asked for pictures to be drawn by children of her colleagues to brighten the boxes, which hopefully will put a smile on the faces of the volunteers at the Poland and Ukraine border.

Sue and the team at Banbury Cross Health Centre will continue to collect long-life, non-perishable food stuffs, toiletries and baby goods and the collection boxes will remain in the reception areas for patients to do the same, if they can.

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