To not understand why people are driving to Poland?

[Tgbiyr]

Genuinely interested in whether I’m missing something.

I have a friend on Facebook who’s driving part of a convoy of goods for Ukrainian refugees from the UK to Poland. Toiletries, clothes etc. He asked people to donate goods, and now he’s asking people to donate towards fuel costs.

I cannot understand why anyone is doing this. Would it not be better to donate to the Polish charities supporting the refugees than transport lorries full of goods thousands of miles? Or ask for donations of goods to support refugees who come to Britain? What am I missing?

AIBU to think that driving lorries from the UK to Poland isn’t helpful, and the money would be better spent being directly donated to organisations in Poland?

Gone to ground!. that's insane???. horse boxes?

I saw the most ridiculous FB plea for beauty products and money for boxes and packing and money for petrol and money to hire a vehicle???

Probably the same people who complain about charity staff earning a good wage, because they don’t understand that managing an international charity and coordinating relief efforts is a massive job for highly skilled people and think it’s the same as just handing out socks.

@Againstmachine

Maybe people don't trust many charity's and want to make sure donations go where they are meant to.

Let's be honest a lot of charitys in recent years shouldn't be trusted.

I trust charities a lot more than a random on FB asking for contributions to their petrol to take this stuff.

Till the end, yes I understand those requests perfectly, I'm thinking more of the earlier mentioned horse box people.

I find it odd too. I did hear on a news item on the TV the other day, that you can get 25 times more stock in an articulated lorry, than you can get into a van, but it only costs 6 times more to take that lorry to Ukraine. Something like that. Basically, you are much better off finding somewhere that is taking in supplies for Ukraine and going with huge lorries. You can get a LOT more supplies there a lot quicker, and for less money!

As for the 'van-takers!' I hate to say this, but it does smack of attention seeking, virtue-signalling, and as someone said 'having a story to tell.' Maybe they want to feel part of something, and want to feel useful, but it IS coming across a bit attention seeking, and more about THEM than the Ukrainians. Nice for them to have a 2-week jolly across half a dozen countries at other peoples expense too! It's like these uni grads on their 'gap yar' who expect people to fund their trip around 10 African and Asian countries!

Martin Roberts from Homes Under The Hammer is one such person. His face was on TV all day yesterday - and the day before with his van, and all the goodies he is taking across to Ukraine and Poland. And the people interviewing him were all 'oh aren't you an ANGEL?' and 'you are SUCH a good person 'and 'if only OTHER people were so KIND... and did the same as you.'

Well 'Lorraine' (SHE was one of them! Lorraine Kelly!) Guess what? Some people have actual JOBS, and FAMILIES, and COMMITMENTS, like vulnerable family members to care for, and pets, as well as their children! And not everyone has a fucking VAN, or the means and the funds to do what Martin Roberts - and other virtue signalling attention-seekers are doing!

Martin Roberts actually, has been slated on social media by some people, for his publicity-seeking 'look how KIND I am' shenanigans! Especially as he filmed himself CRYING at the plight of the Ukrainians! #attentionseeker and #MeMeMe some people put!

I sound like a grouch. IDGAF!

As has been said, it's MUCH better to give money anyway!

It must be heard for everyone to be getting what they need so I don't think there is a problem with aid arriving in different ways.

It is hard. Which is why there are disaster relief organisations to sort it out. Even if you are packing a car with stuff to drive to family, that’s a pretty inefficient way of helping them.

[quote Seriouslymole]@kittensinthekitchen - I think gorp is a typo for gawp (as in stare at with an open mouth type thing).[/quote]
Ahhh okay, that would make sense, thank you

Virtue signalling nonsense. What a waste of time and petrol.

I’m baffled by people giving clothes. What do they think refugees are going to do with them? Where are they going to put them? Most refugees packed suitcases and bags with essential clothing. They can’t carry any more. Apart from thermals, and perhaps hats and gloves for the freezing weather

I trust charities a lot more than a random on FB asking for contributions to their petrol to take this stuff.

Whilst I sort of agree with you, charitys in recent years have a fairly dodgy past, take Oxfam. And many people don't like the how the money filters down amongst a myriad of of 'costs'

Maybe slightly racist also. They have shampoo and nappies in Continental Europe and in Ukraine too.

By the way, if you think petrol, van hire, toys for children, and so on are a waste of resources then you are all perfectly entitled to match the money spent by these monsters you know that are crowd funding for refugees on social media. Nothing is stopping you from donating thousands of pounds to DEC and The Red Cross and not posting about it on a social media platform like MN! Unless of course you don’t have the money and are all talk and would have to raise it through crowd funding on social media ffs

@ISpyCobraKai

Why send money quietly when you can make a big song and dance about doing something "more".

Bingo.

So big charities that only exist because of money donations say that the best thing is to give them cash? Quelle suprise.
I used to donate regularly to Oxfam but they seemed to spend about 5% of my donation in postage sending me junk mail to ask for more. I dreaded to think of the other waste.

@WorkEvent

My parents are hoping to be able to host a family of refugees (from wherever) so I’m hanging onto bits and pieces of baby stuff for then. Agree with all of the point raised already.

I think people are completely forgetting that Poland, Hungary etc. are developed European countries with access to basic supplies and the means to manufacture them!

This is true, though even in less developed places often sending money is best.

I also really hope people remember that while the people in Poland do need help, there are also crises situations in many of the big African refugee camps, where donations have been falling over the years, and many people don't have enough food, or anything else, day to day.

At Dunkirk they didn’t say ‘just donate to the RNLI and we’ll get the lads back eventually etc

They also didn’t say ‘just send them some swimming trunks and armbands’

So big charities that only exist because of money donations say that the best thing is to give them cash? Quelle suprise.

No, local organisations swamped with people’s Marie Kondo’d wardrobes are asking people not to do it.

@Tilltheend99

By the way, if you think petrol, van hire, toys for children, and so on are a waste of resources then you are all perfectly entitled to match the money spent by these monsters you know that are crowd funding for refugees on social media. Nothing is stopping you from donating thousands of pounds to DEC and The Red Cross and not posting about it on a social media platform like MN! Unless of course you don’t have the money and are all talk and would have to raise it through crowd funding on social media ffs

Hit a raw nerve have we?

Can I borrow your van when you come back from Poland, to shift some slabs out of my garden to the skips??? Ta muchlings

@ISpyCobraKai

Why send money quietly when you can make a big song and dance about doing something "more".

This. ^ 100%.

MangyInSeam absolutely correct.
I saw an interview with the Head of the World Food Programme this morning saying they're having to slash basic rations for so many refugees all over the world by 50%- as well as now support people in Ukraine- because of chronic underfunding.

@RB68

its going to warehouses and being taken into Ukraine from there. There are still many in Ukraine and all banks etc have gone so everything is needed. Especially those bombed out etc and relocating. We sent physical medical things which went to Poland and then had military escort to hospitals. It does need to be a combo of things as if you just send money then there isn't enough stuff to buy. BUT the stuff sent needs to be properly packed and organised so that it is easy to distribute and warehouse so can be accessed etc. From different vlogs etc I have seen nothing for the general population is hanging around too long and as soon as its in warehouses its out again.

The hard bit is going to be keeping a distribution line in over a period of months, keep the flow going.

They must need stuff in Ukraine. It isn't all about Poland, that isn't to dismiss what they are doing but Poland is still "working" but people must be short of stuff actually in the Ukraine.

Not that I'm likely to be driving across europe, been hit hard with covid and walking up the stairs is a struggle.

@MurmuratingStarling lol I don’t have a driving license because I don’t want a large carbon footprint so you will have to put a shout out on FB I’m afraid. Maybe the guy from Homes Under the Hammer can help.

[quote Tilltheend99]@MurmuratingStarling lol I don’t have a driving license because I don’t want a large carbon footprint so you will have to put a shout out on FB I’m afraid. Maybe the guy from Homes Under the Hammer can help.[/quote]

I gave money to the Irish Red Cross and Medicins San Frontiere (can't spell it). Dds school had a cake sale which raised over €2000 for the Irish Red Cross. Its beyond ridiculous that supplies which were carted thousands of miles across Europe and a couple of seas to Ireland are bought at Irish prices ie: very expensive and then carted back again to Poland via sea and land! And it's not helping the environment either. But the worst of all is complete gobshites clearing out their summer clothes wardrobe and wasting charities time, who then have to go through everything to sort out the rubbish from actual useful donations, and then pay to have that rubbish removed!!

I think people are so weary of money going into the wrong pockets.