Sunderland mum returns to native Poland to deliver supplies to Ukrainian refugees after travelling with 132kg of luggage

Joanna Sliwa Bowmaker, from Grangetown, travelled to Poland with six suitcases, totalling 132kg in weight, that were full of supplies, including toiletries, nappies and baby food for Ukrainian refugees fleeing the war with Russia.

Joanna wanted to do something to help with the efforts to care for refugees so she received donations from her friends here in Sunderland, as well as from her husband Daniel’s family, to take with her on the journey.

Her family live two hours away from the Poland/Ukraine border so Joanna found a place in Rzeszow, a city in South East Poland, that is providing accommodation to Ukrainian refugees.

Joanna, 30, told the Echo about how she felt when she arrived at the venue to deliver the supplies on Saturday.

She said: “When we got there we could see a play area for children, mums were feeding their kids in the dining area of the accommodation – if you didn’t know why these people were there, you would think it that was just a normal bed and breakfast.

“However it is all really quiet, you don’t see children playing or many people chatting.

"The feeling you get when you remember why everyone is there instantly makes you very sad about what you are seeing.

"One man helped us with the suitcases and he explained that he had escaped from Mariupol before the fighting there turned really bad.”

Joanna has also revealed the surprise of those volunteering at the accommodation when she explained where the supplies had come from.

She added: “When I was speaking to the woman who runs the operation, she was really surprised at the amount of stuff that we had brought from England.

"She explained that most people just drop off unwanted clothes and the rest is all sourced locally so this is the furthest that anyone has travelled to donate to them.

"And the thing is, anyone can do what I’ve done and travel to Poland to donate things in person – I’ve been helping friends in Germany to arrange a place where they can donate their own supplies.

"I understand that it is stressful and exhausting, especially with all the suitcases, but it is worth it.”

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