Ukrainian couple turn London restaurant into donations hub

Galyna Kosyn'ka and her partner Alex Yarema have closed their restaurant Prosperity to focus on humanitarian work

A Ukrainian couple have swapped serving borscht and dumplings for co-ordinating donations at their restaurant in Twickenham, south-west London.

Nappies, medicines, blankets, tents, tinned food and sleeping bags have been arriving non-stop since the Russian invasion of Ukraine began.

"We are so grateful to everyone for bringing supplies," said Galyna Kosyn'ka, who is originally from Ternopil in the west of the country.

"We ask what we need and they bring it. Old people, young people, they have all come.

"One person brought a whole wardrobe of clothes. Some local supermarkets have run out of nappies as everyone has gone out to buy them for us."

Maria Kurianova, whose parents are in Herson in Ukraine and who has friends spread out across the country, has been helping out.

"I feel shocked. I can't explain the grief. I can't stand it so much I must do something," she said.

"It helps to help. I am in touch with all my friends via WhatsApp and I help with information this end and back to Ukraine. I also help with packing boxes and sorting out the toiletries."

Donations are delivered to the door, while inside the restaurant there is another team of volunteers sorting out items into boxes and taping them up securely ready for the daily collection van.

Gina Gush, who lives in nearby Hampton, said: "We wanted to help in some small way and we've collected from the whole street. I've brought nappies, food and blankets."

Once loaded on to the vans, the donations are driven to a junction just off the M25 where larger trucks take the goods to the border of Ukraine through a safe corridor in Poland. The trip takes 24 hours.

Roman Kosynsky, son of Ms Kosyn'ka and Mr Yarema, said: "The support is incredible. Everyone needs to keep on donating daily. Putin is a monster."

Words and photographs by Tricia de Courcy Ling