RGS Staff travel to Ukraine border to deliver targeted supplies 

Pupils, staff and parents at The RGS Worcester Family of Schools have been looking at ways to support the people of Ukraine during this extremely difficult time. 

The RGS community has so far raised over £10,000 in their Ukraine Appeal. In order to maximise the impact of this support on the ground, staff at the school linked up with a charity that provides shelter, medical help and education to disabled children and displaced families fleeing Ukraine. Due to the fluidity of need and the transport issues of getting the right aid to the right place, three members of the RGS Support Staff volunteered to make the 1,750 mile journey out to the Ukraine border so that the right items could be purchased and the funds raised could be put to good use directly where it was needed. 

The RGS Family of Schools’ staff clubbed together to fund the travel costs of the trip, to ensure that every penny raised in the Appeal could be directly used to provide help and support to the people of the Ukraine.

Local car company PJ Nicholls Ltd supported the expedition by generously providing the fully insured SsangYong Musso Saracen Pick-Up vehicle for the trip. The School would like to thank Mr Nicholls for this superb support which made the trip possible.

The three staff, Steve Bradley, Keith Breese and Paul Green, were overwhelmed by the experience of being able to help people in their time of great need. They were able to work with the volunteer charity staff to choose exactly the items needed to support the refugees, and keep the charity hostel operational. They made sure every item purchased would make a difference both for current refugees staying there and to support those escaping the conflict in the future. 

On their return last Sunday evening, the three staff were greeted by an enthusiastic RGS crowd of supporters, cheering them and thanking them for all that they had done. Amongst the supporters were RGS families with relatives still in Ukraine.

RGS Director of Finance & Operations, Joanna Monro, said: “This has been an exceptional team effort to show our support for the people of Ukraine. Special thanks to Steve, Keith and Paul who volunteered to make this happen, along with our parents, pupils, staff and wider RGS Community for fundraising such an impressive sum. Being able to demonstrate to pupils where their donations and fundraising efforts have really made a difference is immeasurable.” 

The four RGS Schools continue to raise funds for their Ukraine Appeal and look for ways to help further. The schools are also providing some places at the schools for children from Ukraine who have been taken in by local RGS Worcestershire families.

Executive Head of the RGS Worcester Family of Schools, John Pitt, said: “It has been very moving to see how the RGS community has rallied round to support the people of Ukraine at this time. We are doing all we can to support by raising funds, having a direct impact on the ground, assisting those with relatives caught up in the conflict, and providing education to those displaced. It is an important message to send that our community will help those in need and it was extremely heart-warming to hear from Steve, Keith and Paul and see the difference we can make.”