As the war in Ukraine continues here at LSE Volunteer Centre we’re considering ways in which you can help no matter where you are in the world.

1. Support local charities

There are a number of charities providing on the ground support to people in Ukraine, providing them with food, medicines and warm bedding/coats. There are bigger charities such as British Red Cross and Unicef who you can donate money to as well as smaller, Ukrainian based charities such as Sunflower of Peace. The Disasters Emergency Committee has launched a Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal which is made up of 15 major aid charities who will work collaboratively to provide support on the on the ground for the people of Ukraine.

2. Supporting local journalism

Local journalists are continuing to report on the current situations unfolding in Ukraine, some of which are in English. By supporting local journalists, it will help support the Ukraine media and allow them to continue telling the stories of Ukrainian people suffering through the war. Kyiv Independent is an English language news outlet reporting directly from Ukraine.

3. Write to your local MP

Express to your local MP the concern you have about the developments in Ukraine and encourage further conversations in parliament about placing sanctions on the Russian government and its associates. If there’s a something particular you would like your MP to raise in parliament highlight this, e.g. immigration policy for Ukrainians, donations from the UK government to provide aid. You can find your MP’s contact details using this tool.

4. Volunteer to help sort donations

There have been numerous donations drives across London taking place most days, just a quick google search will help you find the most up to date information about collection times. Many of these donation points have stopped accepting donations and are just looking for volunteers to help sort through donations. Information regarding donating/sorting donations is changing quite often so we would recommend calling/emailing individual donations points to confirm how best you can provide support to them.

Our thoughts are with everyone suffering in Ukraine at this difficult time and reiterate that If you are personally affected then please reach out to LSE Students Union and London School of Economics Student Support. For further support and advice read more about the support LSE Students Union can provide you.

If this has inspired you to volunteer, check out one of our other ongoing opportunities or book a one-to-one with David Coles, the Volunteer Centre Manager if you have more questions. And why not follow us on Twitter, and Instagram to stay up-to-date with our events and opportunities and read our blog for more volunteering tips and stories.