NEWPORT'S Hungarian community has stepped up to support those fleeing Ukraine - which shares a border with Hungary - with an entire HGV full of donated items.
The Hungarian Cultural Community in Newport were "shocked and saddened" by the events in Ukraine.
Co-campaign organiser Maria Deli-Foris - alongside Edina Ongai-Furjes - explained that the group made the decision to open a donation point and collect supplies for refugees.
These would then be sent to the Hungarian border.
Hungary has so far taken in more than 250,000 refugees from Ukraine.
"We believe that our supplies will be going to a place where they are very much needed," Ms Deli-Foris said.
"It is the least we can do in this horrible situation."
The Hungarian Cultural Community in Newport has been joined by St Julian’s Baptist Church in their efforts - with the church offering to provide space for donations.
The two organisations have a common link to the Russian invasion of Ukraine in Zsofia Devney.
Ms Devney is a member of St Julian’s Baptist Church and the Hungarian Cultural Community as well.
She has been personally affected by the events in Ukraine, as her parents and close family live in Zakarpattia, the westernmost part of Ukraine, about 10 minutes from the Hungarian border.
Ms Devney has been able to talk to her family every day so far, as there have as yet been no internet restrictions.
"However," Ms Deli-Foris explained, "The air raid sirens have been going off for hours this morning [Monday].
"Even in this part of the country, which has been considered relatively safe."
Such has been the outpouring of generosity from the Hungarian community of Newport, and the wider public, that Ms Deli-Foris says both she and her fellow volunteers have been "absolutely blown away".
"We thought that three of our members would be able to volunteer at the church and collect donations," she said.
"However, we were proven wrong very quickly.
"We realised on the second day that we needed more volunteers and more space.
"Fortunately, the people of the Hungarian community and members of the church have risen to the challenge and by Saturday about 80 volunteers were loading the lorry when it arrived.
"We have collected almost 900 boxes, seven tonnes of supplies."
Items collected included nappies, sanitary products, toiletries, dried food, batteries, torches, blankets and other essentials.
Ms Deli-Foris paid tribute to the help of other organisations such as Castleton Baptist Church, Liberty Church, Singalong Liz and her team to name a few.
"We couldn’t even fit everything on the lorry," she explained.
"We are working hard to find another way of transporting these to Hungary so they can reach those most in need.
"The response from the community was so overwhelming."
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