For our 5th TeddyBusz trip on 30th March we plan to spend time again at Záhony, the small Hungarian border town that for 12 months has seen life turned upside down. Children lost their school to refugee transit accommodation, residents have been subject to food rationing and shortages in shops, petrol limits sometimes as low 10 litres purchased, food and fuel prices rocketed, shortages of spare parts for agricultural machines, and working under constant fear of air-raid sirens just 1 mile away in Chop, the equivalent Ukrainian border town.
The “key workers” in this town, and their families, are the real heroes of the humanitarian response to the refugee crisis. Led by the inspirational Mayor, László Helmeczi, and his incredibly strong community, the town has rallied and delivered a coordinated, loving and warm welcome to over 100,000 refugees in the last year. Workers at the station, receiving no extra support kept facilties clean and tidy, often in difficult circumstances, and trains continued to run, with Hungarian staff, onto Ukrainian territory.
Our mission at Easter will be to take part in the Easter festivities in the town and deliver a message of Solidarity and thanks to the people of Záhony and their children. We are also asking for knitted Easter items – bunnies, chicks, lambs and eggs, to take for children displaced and those in hospital or temporary accommodation in Western Ukraine, and we hope to source enough English Chocolate to accompany these gifts!
We’re also in touch with groups working directly with displaced and groups with special needs in Ukraine, and nearer to departure time will know more of the specific items they need. Please keep an eye on our Facebook page for updates
If you’re planning to collect or package items, please let us know first, and if you’d like to donate funds please use our GoFundMe link
If you would like to talk to us, David’s number is 07971 800201 for calls, text or WhatsApp, or you can contact us via Facebook Messenger
TeddyBusz - Bears of Hope 