Cheetham Hill's Ukrainian Cultural Centre has raised £15,000 in 48 hours for Ukraine
The centre is also helping to organise weekly protests in solidarity with Ukraine
The Ukrainian Cultural Centre in Cheetham Hill has raised £15,000 in 48 hours to send defensive equipment and urgently needed supplies to Ukraine.
Cultural centre co-ordinator Wolodymr Kowalszyn told us that this brings their fundraising total to around £30,000, a lot of which has come from local Mancunians.
On where the money is going, Wolodymr said: "We are in close contact with people on the ground, we've been doing this since 2014. They tell us what they need, we try and provide it.
"The whole nation is bearing arms. They've been given a gun in their hand and a badge on their t-shirt and that's it.
"No helmets, no body armour, no combat boots. they're in trainers and jogging bottoms, so we need to kit them out.
"We're providing body armour, helmets, boots, thermal underwear, anything the army require at the moment."
Wolodymr also told us that with the fundraised money, he has already purchased thermal imaging scopes and wants to get drones with night vision to help the troops fighting in Ukraine on the ground.
The cultural centre has also been serving as a hub for the Manchester community to send physical donations to, such as toiletries, sanitary products, in-date medicine, thermal blankets and new car batteries.
The volunteer cultural hub team told us that they have been so overwhelmed by support from the Manchester community that they had to stop taking donations for a short while but are now open again, taking donations only when they have the space.
They told us therefore, that if you're thinking of dropping off some donations, you should firstly check the centre's Facebook page first to see if, and what, they're accepting at the moment.
Wolodymr stressed to us however, that while he is extremely thankful for the generosity of the people of Manchester and their physical donations, the best way to support Ukraine is donating directly to their fund or to Ukraine Emergency Appeal.
He told us: "We are so grateful for all the humanitarian aid, but we must concentrate our efforts into saving Ukraine, or there won't be a Ukraine and all this effort will be for nought."
The Cheetham Hill Ukrainian Cultural Centre are also helping to co-ordinate protests in solidarity with Ukraine that have taken place the last three Saturdays in Piccadilly Gardens.
Last Saturday, Wolodymr spoke at the protest and led singing the Ukrainian national anthem with children from the Cultural Centre.
For updates on the next protest, which will most likely take place in the same place in Piccadilly Gardens, Wolodymr again told us check in with the Cultural Centre's Facebook page.