Tower and Town, March 2026 (view the full edition)Two Chairites Bringing Aid to UkraineBritish Ukrainian Aid (BUA) For the past three years the Marlborough Community Choir have promoted and supported BUA through donations at their annual Christmas concerts. The Ukrainian refugee community have also participated by providing a cultural contribution in the form of Ukrainian carols and songs, traditional costume and a taste of their national cuisine (see the photographs on pages 6 and 11). Attendees have consistently shown their remarkable generosity and heartfelt support, not only by participating but also by making donations in support of the charity. The act of giving has become a meaningful part of the occasion, with people responding enthusiastically to appeals and offering what they can to help those in need. BUA is a grassroots charity, united by a single goal: to see Ukrainians overcome the hardships of the war and to live in dignity and prosperity in an independent Ukraine. The charity provides immediate, direct support to war casualties and to those who are helping them on the ground. The charity also offers assistance and guidance to Ukrainian refugees in the UK, helping them to adjust with confidence and dignity to a life far away and very different to that in their own home country. BUA provides direct, humanitarian, hands-on support and it makes an immediate and massive difference to the lives of so many. The Marlborough community's response has truly demonstrated compassion and solidarity through their continued support both in spirit and in action to the vital work of the charity. Maria Tepczuk Fraser Help Ukraine Group Support (HUGS) Formed shortly after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Help Ukraine Group Support (HUGS) is a group of some 80+ volunteers, based in Hungerford. We care deeply for the plight of Ukrainians who find themselves in unimaginable and unsolicited circumstances. Headed by a committee of six, HUGS organises the supply of critical humanitarian aid to frontline communities. We hold Donation Days in the Newbury and Marlborough areas, appealing directly to the local population using flyers and local media, highlighting aid that is needed. We also continually collect a range of essential items from sources - such as individuals, businesses, medical and dental surgeries, care homes and veterinary practices - who all donate a huge range of items. HUGS also receives cash donations which enable us to buy urgent supplies that have not been donated. All aid is sorted, packed and transported to Ukraine using known and trusted groups and individuals who often provide videos of eventual handovers to grateful recipients. To see people of all ages gaining independence using mobility aids sent by HUGS, is truly humbling. We are constantly reminded that donations, however small, can result in massive improvements to people's lives. A recent Christmas appeal for several orphanages in Ukraine raised clothing, toys, games and computer tablets for children and teenagers whose lives have been forever changed by this war. Their joy, happiness and gratitude was clearly evident in the videos we received. Our frontline contacts report that sadly the need for aid is as great, if not greater, than when the war first started. So HUGS' work continues; and will do for as long as it is needed. For more information please visit www.helptoukraine.co.uk Chris Mellor  Maria Tepczuk Fraser; Chris Mellor |