Last Friday, Suella met with Dr Alex Kenchington, Logistics Director, and Matt Simmons, Operations Director, of Bridge to Unity at their Fareham-based charity to learn more about the exciting developments in their pursuit to aid refugees. Having only established their charity in the last year, Suella was thoroughly impressed by how far Bridge to Unity has come and was excited to learn of their promising plans for the future.
Bridge to Unity offers support to those in need including, but not limited to; individuals and families being relocated to the UK as part of the ongoing refugee crisis, those affected by issues of homelessness, and families and individuals struggling – whether that be financially or otherwise. As well as offering assistance and support, they are committed to bringing people together in the local community through their projects and events. The team at Bridge to Unity are committed to reacting quickly to international humanitarian disasters – something they have had great success with recently.
Suella was thrilled to hear about Bridge to Unity’s swift reaction to the invasion of Ukraine. In under just two weeks, the team were able to raise £30,000 – enabling Bridge to Unity to deliver over £15,000 worth of medical supplies directly to a Polish NGO, Zintegrowana Służba Ratownicza. Alongside this, the funds raised by Bridge to Unity has allowed the NGO to purchase an ambulance that will provide life-saving treatment at the Polish – Ukrainian borderland. Bridge to Unity’s fundraising is still ongoing and the team are currently in discussions with NGOs in Romania and Moldova to try and establish further opportunities to deliver additional support.
Outside of conflict zones, Bridge to Unity are also playing a unique supporting role at home – more specifically, within our schools. Having learnt of the arrival of Afghan refugees in Hampshire, Bridge to Unity has been working hard to introduce an ‘Afghanistan Day’ in primary schools across Hampshire. As part of ‘Afghanistan Day’, Hampshire schools will receive an ‘e-kit’ that contains a range of educational activities. The aim of this idea is to give Afghan children a chance to teach their peers about their culture and provide them with a real moment to feel proud of where they are from. This will take place in all schools with pupils who came to the UK as part of the emergency evacuation in 2021. Suella was very impressed with this brilliant idea and is now working with Bridge to Unity to make this goal a reality.
Bridge to Unity are currently aiming to raise £10,000 to buy life-saving medical kit for a maternity hospital affected by the Russian invasion of Ukraine. To find out how you can help them with this please visit: https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/bridgetounity?utm_term=bjGavYKR4
To learn more about their organisation and how you can help further, please visit their website: www.bridgetounity.co.uk
Commenting, Suella said:
“It was fantastic to meet Alex, Matt and the rest of the team at Bridge to Unity, their phenomenal charitable efforts has already made such a significant impact to the Afghan refugees in Hampshire. I’m delighted to see that their proactive spirits are continuing with full force throughout this abhorrent conflict in Ukraine.
“Thanks to Bridge to Unity’s remarkable success in raising £30,000 in under just two weeks, they were able to enable the Polish NGO, Zintegrowana Służba Ratownicza, to purchase an ambulance that is now already on the ground in the Polish – Ukrainian borderlands providing vital support.
“This is a truly remarkable charity and I’m very impressed with the team for making such a big difference in such a short space of time. I look forward to helping them in the future with their charitable endeavours.”
