Contents:
- Editor's welcome
- Kelly McVitty: Team UK's vice-captain wins big at Invictus Games
- Keeping pets safe this Christmas
- Sweet potato, coconut and spinach curry with quinoa
- In Bloom awards: borough lands 24 golds and 3 wins
- New location for Local Studies Centre
- Hairdressing trend - 70s revival
- Graham Poole Road Transport
- Miles turned into smiles for orphaned Ukrainian children »
- A short history of Hare Hill House: 1901 to now
- Health and wellbeing during Water season
- Sticky toffee pudding
- Italian restaurant Stocco opens in Norden
- Class of 2023 students celebrate at Hopwood Hall graduation ceremony
- Third time lucky as Re-use Littleborough is granted charity status
- New Springhill Hospice shop opens in Heywood
- Victims of crime
- Rochdale soldier’s memoir of the 1915 Gallipoli Campaign
- Comedy gig with Jason Manford raises £14,000 for Petrus
Winter 2023Miles turned into smiles for orphaned Ukrainian children
Michael Buczman and Jamie White from Rochdale Borough Council’s environmental management team recently travelled over 1,400 miles to the Ostoya Roztocze orphanage near the Polish-Ukrainian border to install a play area for orphaned Ukrainian children.
Michael has been involved in charity work for Ukraine since the war started over 18 months ago, due to his close family links: both his grandfathers were from L’viv in western Ukraine, a city which is twinned with Rochdale.
After speaking to his colleague Jamie, an idea quickly began to come together to use their skills in play area design and installation to bring some joy to the children.
Working closely with the charity ‘Giving to Ukraine’, they managed to collect eight pieces of preloved and surplus play equipment from the council, play equipment providers and landscape specialists, plus the materials and tools required to bring the idea to fruition.
They - and the volunteers from Giving to Ukraine - arrived at the Ostoya Roztocze orphanage near Szczebrzeszyn in the early hours of 10 October and set straight to work creating the play area. The team was also at work delivering solar panels and kitchen appliances to a new satellite orphanage in the same city, along with a donation of bikes from the Re-use Hub in Manchester.
Michael said: “We were so happy to repurpose this play equipment that otherwise would not have been utilised in the UK and are really thankful for the huge amount of support from colleagues and friends, who donated clothing, shoes, toiletries, and other essential items for the children that filled a truck.
“We also approached a number of businesses for help in and around Rochdale who jumped at the chance to be involved. Groundwork Landscapes and H Bell & Sons have been incredibly supportive providing all the materials needed to make this possible and it really did make a difference.”
Incredibly, the play area was installed in just over a day, with the team working from first light until dark.
Jamie said: “The installation couldn’t have gone better. The ground conditions were ideal and helped considerably. The team all put in a great effort and even had help from the children.
“We got to show them how the play equipment went together and how to install it. It was such a great experience and something I will never forget.”
The team was able to install a roundabout, seesaw, rocker, swing set, balance rope, spinning ring, digger for their sandpit, and even an outdoor cross trainer.
Michael added: “It was testament to the teamwork and planning that we were able to achieve something in such a short space of time.
“On the way back home we were already talking about what we could do on the next convoy. It would be brilliant if we could build another play area at another orphanage.
“Hopefully, the next one will be in Ukraine itself.”
Giving to Ukraine continues to support those affected by the war in Ukraine. For more information about the charity and how you can help please visit www.givingtoukraine.com.