Drogheda Credit Union organises Donation Day to raise funds for Ukraine
Millmount is floodlit in blue and yellow
The groundswell of public opinion in the Drogheda area against the illegal and murderous invasion of Ukraine by troops under the command of Russian war criminal Vladimir Putin gains momentum with each passing day.
The organisers of the vigil scheduled for midday this Saturday, 5th March at St. Peter’s Church on West Street have told Drogheda Life that they have been receiving “massive” support from the local community.
Olga Duka said that she and her colleagues have been inundated with calls of support and offers of help from people in the Drogheda region, they are hoping for a huge turnout on Saturday.
“Messages of support are coming in non-stop” Olga said as local people from all walks of life want to show their disgust at what is happening in Ukraine and to express their support for the Ukranian people.
One way that everyone can help is by supporting a special Donation Day being organised by Drogheda Credit Union next Thursday, March 10, in its branches in Drogheda, Dunleer, Trim and East Meath.
The money raised on the day will be matched by Drogheda Credit Union and given to the Irish Red Cross to help support families on the ground.
“The event is important to many of the staff in Drogheda Credit Union who want to do their part to try to help alleviate some of the pain and suffering felt by the people in Ukraine” said Drogheda Credit Union CEO, Tom Kiely.
The Donation Day for Ukraine will run during branch opening hours from 9:30 AM until 5:00 PM with all members being asked to give what they can to the appeal. Members in Monasterboice that wish to donate are asked to visit one of the open branches.
Olga Duka said that she has told her friends in Ukraine about the response in Drogheda and they told her it means a lot to them to know that they are not alone in their struggle.
She added however that getting the essential humanitarian aid to the people in Ukraine and to the hundreds of thousands who have fled to neighbouring countries is being complicated by the fact that, at the moment at least, the Russians are not allowing humanitarian aid corridors to be established.
She said she had been speaking to people working for the Red Cross and the World Food Programme based in Italy who are hopeful that they can organise the badly needed humanitarian corridors in the very near future but that at the moment aid was not getting into the war zone.
Meanwhile, Louth County Council is showing their solidarity with the people of Ukraine by lighting up County Hall and Town Hall in Dundalk and Millmount in Drogheda in the Ukraine Colours of blue and yellow.
Local TD Fergus O’Dowd said in the Dáil, that Ireland must do all it can to support the people of Ukraine and activation of the EU’s Temporary Protection Directive to enable Ukrainian people live and work here for up to three years would be a welcome step.
“Millions of despairing families flee their homes, men go to war to fight for Ukraine’s freedom, whilst women and children undertake desperate journeys to find safe a haven in European countries” O’Dowd said.
“The dark fog of war emanates solely from the decision of one man, the Kremlin dictator, in his gilded palace.
“We in the European Union repeat unequivocally our demand for Russia to end their offensive against the Ukrainian people and insist on an immediate ceasefire.
“Ireland, along with other EU countries, offers a safe haven to Ukrainian refugees and as a member of the UN Security Council, Ireland will work unceasingly for a peaceful resolution of this crisis.
“I salute the resistance of the Ukrainian people to the invader and in particularly the bravery demonstrated by President Zelensky.”
