Bromsgrove School Humanitarian Efforts for Ukraine

Bromsgrove School is doing what it can to support the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine, with the whole School community pulling together.

Contingent Commander of the CCF, Major Jeff Farnes and Lieutenant Laura Peil sorted through and packed up the truckload of essential items and goods such as medical supplies, baby food and pet food, generously donated by the Bromsgrove pupils, staff and parents, and transported it all to Oakland International, a local distribution company, run by an Old Bromsgrovian. They were then delivered to the Polish border to be distributed further to those most in need.

Bromsgrove School Business Studies teacher, Gareth Young, who volunteered to organise the collection, has noted the overwhelming response of support and a heart-warming display of unity and action. He said that pupils and staff of different nationalities came together to show ‘extraordinary support’ for the two appeals.

The first was the collection of essential items for displaced families on the Polish border close to Lviv, and the second was a fundraiser for Okhamtdyt, the biggest Children’s Hospital in Ukraine. All the money collected will be used for equipping basements with sterile medical equipment for surgeries that will have to be conducted.

Ohmatdyt is the largest hospital in Ukraine and provides highly specialised care to thousands of children in Kyiv. With trauma and cancer care previously being the main focus of the hospital, it is now dedicated to the treatment of children injured as a result of the war. With the district where the hospital is located being under constant threat, all patients have been forced to move into the basement, and the doctors have extremely limited funds and lack access to basic medical equipment.

Reverend Hedworth, Chaplain at Bromsgrove School said, “Alongside the collection of goods being sent to help the refugees from Ukraine and the collection of money for the Ohmatdyt Children’s Hospital in Kyiv, staff and students observed a lunchtime Peace Vigil in the Memorial Chapel.”

Gareth Young further commented on the efforts of Bromsgrove School, “It is known by many that Bromsgrove is an extremely busy School. Despite this, pupils from Year 9 to Year 13 stepped up and established a rota to support fundraising activities. I have been moved by the commitment, determination and, above all, solidarity on display. Particular recognition should go to Masha and Mariia, Upper Sixth pupils at Bromsgrove, who both have family in Ukraine, and who showed tremendous commitment and leadership throughout the fundraising efforts.

‘The initial target was to raise £5,000, which we surpassed and we now hope to be able to donate more than £7,400, which will support the staff and families who are currently sheltering in makeshift wards in the basement of the hospital.”

The efforts of all involved have been much appreciated, and Bromsgrove School is now looking at additional initiatives whereby the School can provide longer-term support to Ukrainian victims of the war. 

See Bromsgrove’s online listing here.