The Green Bears / Зелені ведмеді

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Hi everyone,
Looking for a sponsor for young women and her 5 years old son. They are already in Northern Ireland. If you have spare bedroom (suitable for 2 people) and you are willing to become a host for Ukrainians or you know someone who might be, please get in touch with us🙏🏻
Will appreciate your help💙💛
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Thank you all for your continued support.

More from the Ukrainian defenders who are so grateful with the aid help they received.💙🇺🇦🇺🇦💛

Thank you everyone so much for the help you have giving to this beautiful country.

Many items and money donations recently received have went a long, this time helping Ukraines brave defenders who are fighting for their countries right to be free in the worst parts of Eastern Ukraine and the Kherson region where crossfire is only several kilometres away.

It was hard to hear these guys had not received any help in terms of simple aid and were currently sleeping on wooden pallets inside dirty dusty blown up buildings and trenches.

The soldiers were in complete shock after receiving much needed essentials. A big boost to their morale knowing there is people out there willing to help in what some would say, thee most difficult times of their life.
They are soo thankful and forever grateful of everything our community has done for them.
💙💛💙💛

Sorry it's been a while, as life at home continues, the difficulty of keeping up with everything became quite challenging trying to find a balance to everyday life.

That being said we have been continuing to work hard behind the scenes with collecting, organising aid delivery and distributing all of your kind donations to some of the most affected places in the East and South of Ukraine.

Here are some videos of the unbroken, strong Ukrainian people showing their thanks and gratitude for the help they have received from the amazing people of Lisburn and surrounding areas.

💙Freedom blue💙
💛Energising yellow💛

Those are beautiful and meaningful colours🫶🏼🇺🇦
You still can place an order to the end of the week😉
Please read the post below and contact Irina Fuga or Kieran Catney if you are interested 🥰

God bless xx

On our recent journey to Ukraine, having spent over two weeks on the ground, we quickly identified where the help was needed 💙💛

One place was
City of Goodness - Marta (founder)
Originally a shelter for woman and children. Due to the impact of the Russia's invasion in Ukraine, Marta has now opened up her doors to anyone who needs help.
Their headcount has increased significantly and forever growing, along with their infrastructure.
Now holding an additional 70 orphans, 30 of which are newborn, all being displaced from the East to the West of Ukraine for safety.

A place where our additional green bear, Ruth Mormecha got to spend many days working with the severely disabled kids and new born babies.
No better woman for the job having spent much of her working career caring and working with kids of all ages and disabilities.
The group visited city of goodness and had great interaction with all the kids.
Very emotional knowing the circumstances but at the same time it was amazing to see how each child was looked after, running around with the biggest smiles. Every child given the best amount of care and love from everyone within Marta's network.

We gave a lot of your kind donations such as baby food, nappies, wipes, bottles, baby blankets, medication, toys etc.. to provide some relief for the challenges ahead.

We want to thank everyone who played a part, we greatly appreciate your support 💙💛

We plan to send more essential aid in June

Keep your eyes out for our next post 😁

First of all, thank you to those ladies who already placed the order❤️ THANK YOU!
By doing this, you are not only having a beautiful hand made necklace or bracelet, but also helping pregnant women in Ukraine, who had to leave their homes to protect their newborn babies❤️
You still can make your order by contacting me or Kieran Catney

Lots of love xx

Ladies,
My good friend Emily is making these beautiful necklaces. I’ve got one for myself whenever I was in Ukraine last month.
You can also support Ukraine by wearing these beautiful colours that represent my beautiful country💙💛
If this is for you, you can place an order for one of the 5 options available in necklace and bracelet.
All profits will go towards helping pregnant women in Ukraine🇺🇦
Your order can be here 3 of June, but I need to know in advance how many to order😉🇺🇦

PRICE:
Necklace - £5
Bracelet - £3

Love,
Irina 💙💛

PLEASE SHARE 💙💛

Hi all :)

After what turned out to be a challenging but successful 16 days in our previous trip to Ukraine, we were able to identify where our help was needed. We established what was required by the people and new friends we met a long the way.

With this information we intend in doing another streamlined essential aid collection to deliver to inside Ukraine, similar to the one that took place in Tonagh and Trinity Church back when the invasion of Ukraine began.

The people in Ukraine still needs our help due to the impact of the war, being displaced, lost jobs, lives destroyed, traumatised and murdered loved ones with little to no income support.

We have put together a new specific list of items with new collection points opening up to both the public and church communities who wish to help with this much needed worthy cause.

The collection points as per below:

RESURGAM- LAGANVIEW ENTERPRISE CENTRE
69 Drumbeg Dr, Lisburn BT28 1NY
OPEN TO PUBLIC
MON-FRIDAY 9AM-5PM
Joanne 07885977929
Drop off- MAIN BUILDING BOTTOM OF THE STAIRS UPON ENTRANCE

ST.PATRICKS CHAPEL/HALL
Parochial House, 29 Chapel Hill, Lisburn BT28 1EP
OPEN TO CHURCH COMMUNITY & PUBLIC
MON-FRI 1PM-4PM & AFTER 10AM & 12PM SUNDAY MASS
Dee-07821190775

TONAGH COMMUNITY FLATS (food items only)
3 Tonagh Drive, BT28 1DY
OPEN TO PUBLIC
TUES & THURSDAY - 10AM 2PM
Fiona 07739002300

ST.COMLUBAS CHURCH-OLDWARREN OPEN TO CHURCH COMMUNITY ONLY

CHURCH OF IRELAND-BALLYLESSON-OPEN TO CHURCH COMMUNITY ONLY

OTHERS-PRIVATE COLLECTIONS

If you have any bulky items such as fold up beds, please get in contact with the page and we can arrange ge a collection of this from you :)

Streamlined list below:

Food- 🥫🥫
Canned potatoes
Canned meat/fish
Canned soup
Biscuits
Cereal/protein bars
Uncooked Pasta
Uncooked Rice

Household- 🍽
Washing powder/pods
Cleaning antibacterial sprays
Disposable tableware

Sleep- 🛌
Blankets (new)
Pillows (new)
Sleeping bags
Fold up beds
Airbeds

No clothes are needed at this moment in time.
If this changes the page will be updated.

Keep an eye on the page over the next couple of days as we upload a story each day showing our previous trip to Ukraine, showing where your kind donations of Lisburn went and why they are still very much needed ❤️ pictures attached is a snip of our journey with stories to follow.

Thank you all for your continued support 💙💛

Money donations still very much welcome, helping with shipping, storage and stock contribution.

https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/michael-mormecha/updates/75647?utm_term=R5kakV7gj

PLEASE SHARE 💙💛

Hi all,

We would like to say thanks to Lynsey Caqeua and co at LCC Community Trust st for hosting and providing such a great spread in a nice room yesterday, also for inviting many people representing different sectors across Lisburn area who'd be interested in hearing our story, such as Local Politicians, Church groups, community work groups, council reps and the Mayor of Lisburn.
We want to thank you all for attending and giving us the opportunity to present our journey with you a long with our future plans.
It was amazing getting to share our experience with so many like minded people who wants to help with the Ukrainian crisis.
The support shown was truly amazing, we are all very overwhelmed and grateful knowing we have great community support behind us. 💚❤️💙💛

We will share our Ukraine experience on the page soon 😀 💙💛

Approaching the border into Ukraine 🇺🇦

This time entering Lviv from the Polish border and followed by a 7 hr drive down to Chernivtsi where our aid will be delivered.

Can't even begin to describe the feelings and emotions we all experienced last night.
We had the most amazing team that met us in Warsaw to offload our 40 foot truck to reload the one that will enter Ukraine.

These familes fled their homes to seek shelter in Poland. To hear what they have been through was heartbreaking. Despite everything they have been through they rallied to help us with the biggest smiles and kindest hearts.

An experience we will never forget!! ❤❤

Lisburn - Chernivtsi, Ukraine 🇺🇦💙💛

When 3 become 4, welcome on board Ruth Mormecha 😁😁

We have a 40foot container full of medical PPE equipment containing much needed surgical items, food, all baby essentials, medication, bandages, fridges, generators, emergency rationed water, washing machines, sleeping bags, duvets etc..

We will stay in Ukraine for a few weeks offering up much need help delivering the big load to refugees who need our help, Ruth will use her life experience and expertise to help out with the kids in the overcrowded orphanages located in Chernivtsi.

Please share and follow with your family and friends to continue following our journey

If you wish to donate to keep this project a float, please follow the link below

https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/michael-mormecha/updates/://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/michael-mormecha/updates/75868

A big thank you to everyone down at St Patricks Hall Lisburn who donated to our great cause. 💚💙💛

The kind generous donation will a long way to helping us a keep steady supply of aid going into Irina's home city, Chernivtsi. 💙💛

A big Thanks also to Damian French for helping to spread the awareness of our actions and further plans. This has helped to create a great supporting network for our great cause. 🙌🤗

Hard work paying off 💙💛💙💛

All the donations getting sorted and put straight to good use by the team in Ukraine made up of Irina's close church friends and beloved family.
We have all worked so hard for the last 4 weeks, it's when you see images like this, it makes it all worthwhile. ❤❤ A great team effort from everyone involved.

This donation sent by one of the primary schools here in Lisburn was hand delivered to a church in Chernivtsi that has taken in many refugees. The handmade comforting cards and aid relief brought so much joy to these amazing young children🤗

Please share and tag everyone involved and to all who wishes to support this great cause.

https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/michael-mormecha/updates/://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/michael-mormecha/updates/75868

A massive thank you to the Belfast Ukulele Jam who did 3 busks and raised over 4k worth of much needed donations, brand new boots, ration packs, torches, hats, socks, medical products and much more going on our lorry straight into Ukraine next week.

Well done everyone! 🌞💛💙

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The guys are well on their way to making their long journey home across Europe.

A few stops a long the way to capture some beautiful picturesque moments

Well done lads, stay safe 💙💛💚🧡

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The green bears had a great day getting to meet the arts and craft team at Atlas centre Lisburn, they kindly held an auction fundraising event for the crisis in Ukraine in which they sold beautiful paintings. They raised a whopping £1050.
We were given a warm welcome and shown great support from the whole team.
We can't thank you enough and are very grateful to everyone involved. This will help cover freight costs and support refugees.

We plan on having a brilliant fundraising gig at the centre in May. Stay tuned for more info.

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The guys/Bears are safe and sound.

We had a small blip on the road yesterday, unfortunately Martin got a pretty nasty puncture, ofcourse in the middle of the pedestrian crossing in a built up busy town centre 🙈🙈

The unfortunate event was soon met with an act of kindness from some the Ukrainian people.

The car was towed all around the city which was starting to seem like a impossible task as garages were either closed or had multiple hours of waiting queues.
They eventually found 2 guys working at a car mechanics the men understood why we were in Ukraine and the purpose of our trip. The 2 men were more than thankful and in return, covered the cost of the new tyre and labour.

We want to thank these men for their amazing generousity during these already dark times.

💙💛💙💛

LISBURN-CHERNIVTSI 💙💛💙💛
Drop off COMPLETED 💙💛

A huge well done to the guys,
Martin, Gerard, Steve and Phil on completing their trip across Europe into the heart of Irinas home city.

They have been greeted with the warmest welcome by our contact working on the Ukrainian border, Roma, Victor and Friends who helped offload the van into the warehouse and also by Irina's family who have spent so much time in past days preparing mouth watering delicious traditional Ukrainian food made by the master of home cooking Maria 💙💛

Thank you everyone back here in Northern Ireland for your kind donations. These will be looked after by the team below and distributed to refugee familes across the city and to nearby churches also sheltering many familes in their church halls.

Feeling fresh 😁😁

A Big thanks to Dale, Chloe and rest of the team down in Dale Kennedy Hairdressing.
You guys are amazing 💙💛💙💛
We had the best crack getting pampered, same time next week? 😛

Hats of to Dale as this was Michaels first proper hair cut in years! 🤣

Yesterday Dale and his team ever so kindly hosted a fundraiser, raising a whopping £810 doing cut and blow drys, with all money raised donated to helping us continue to provide aid into Irinas home town in Chernivtsi.

We appreciate this and can't thank you guys enough 💙💛💙💛

Please follow The Green Bears / Зелені ведмеді to continue supporting our Journey.

LISBURN - CHERNIVTSI - 9LIVE UPDATE 💙💛💙💛

The guys/Bears are only 5 hours away from the border of Ukraine. Please keep these guys in mind as we edge closer to our drop of point.

They're currently driving through the beautiful bendy roads on carpathien mountains that both Ukriane and Romania share.

4 more tons of much needed aid will be hand delivered to our warehouse in Chernivtsi today!
Many volunteers are ready to get to work.

I want to thank everyone for their continued support and kind words as we continue to work very hard to ensure the much needed aid gets to where it needs to go.

If you wish to donate, to help us continue getting aid into Ukraine, please check out the link below.

https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/michael-mormecha/updates/://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/michael-mormecha/updates/75868

Guys, anyone need to go to the toilet?

Everyone- nope all good.

15 mins later....

There's always one 🙈🙈🤣

Lisburn to Chernivtsi Update 💙💛💙💛

The Bears are on the move as they make their way through Hungary.

After resting up in Budapest, taking in the city sites, we are now back on the road to deliver the much needed essential aid.
Romania 🇷🇴 next stop 😁

Please continue to support and follow our Journey

Our goal is to keep a supply line going from Lisburn-Chernivtsi were many refugees have taken shelter

https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/michael-mormecha/updates/://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/michael-mormecha/updates/75868

2 more vans now crossing into Hungary 🇭🇺

Tomorrow the guys will be starvin... 🤠🙈

Chernivtsi we are getting closer 💙💛💙💛

Lisburn - Chernivtsi
Humantarian aid run-Current update 💙💛💙💛

Saturday 12/03 we attempted to send two more vans packed with essential aid, unfortunately the storm out at sea wasn't very kind and seen the captain turn ship around half way to France.

Luckily this didn't dampen any spirits as the guys sailed of for the second time on Wednesday 16th.

They have worked well together getting themselves across Europe.

As they stopped of for much needed rest last night in the beautiful city of Nuremberg, Germany, the guys are now back on the road...

The Green Bears are having an absolute ball.

If you wish to continue to support this campaign, please visit the link below

https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/michael-mormecha/updates/://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/michael-mormecha/updates/75868

Safe Journey guys! 💙💛

With the swift response from the Lisburn community and surrounding areas, we got to work.

As help from the community came flooding in, so did the much needed generous and kind donations.

Tonagh community flats offered up their work space as a drop of location, putting tonagh on the Lisburn map for all the right reasons- Tonagh Community Association Fiona Irive and Co.

It wasn't long before we needed more space as tonagh was over flowing with packed and unpacked donations. As bags of donations were still coming in, the already boxed donations were being sent out.
Self storage centre was ever so kind to offer up 4 units free of charge in a show of support for our project to ensure a smooth operation.

Belfast stands with Ukraine 💙💛

The war broke against Ukraine on Thursday 24th of February, a day that we will never forget as the fear of uncertainty for the Ukrainian people, their land and beautiful culture echoed around the world.

Myself, Irina and Michael arrived in Belfast the following day in what was a show of support to stand for Ukraine.

We decided we needed to do more, later that evening we put our words into actions.
We layed out our intentions and what people could do to show their support.
Little did we know, we would be overwhelmed and blown away by the huge response we received across the whole community near and far with their amazing support and generosity.

As word started to move around very quickly, so did the level of work and focus into getting the much need aid directly into Ukraine.

Hi all

Welcome to The Green Bears page.

Irina, Michael and myself all hold a deep connection with Ukraine which has giving us the motivation and desire to help as many people as we can during these dark times.

Our aim is to continue helping the Ukrainain people and provide as much relief as we can to those in Ukraine and in Northern Ireland.

To date, we have already completed one trip to Ukraine which turned out to be a very successful trial run, we drove across Europe, through the Romanian border into Chernivtsi Ukraine.
Currently we have two more vans full of much needed aid making their way across Europe to our warehouse in Ukraine which will be distributed to where it is needed.
In the meantime we are working on a large container that will be filled with medical PPE and essentials to deliver in the coming weeks.

I want to thank everyone for their amazing continued support.

Updates to follow.