News

Cycle ride continues in the Provence-Alpes-Côte region

Posted on Please Donate

Day 3
Castellane to Digne-les-Bains:
Our ride today continues in the Provence-Alpes-Côte region.


I was reluctant to leave Castellane (724 m), which is in the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence Department. It is a cosy ancient small city set around a central square with its warm sand coloured buildings and light green and blue window shutters. The main feature is
The Roc which overlooks the city.

We started out on a bright sunny morning and cycled up to Lake Verdon. It was created by the hydro electric dam at its southern end.


The turquoise lake is something to behold. We cycled alongside the lake with high wooded cliffs to both sides before leaving the lake gorge and crossing up over a mountain range into the Bléone river valley.

Again, this route reminded me of the vastness of this majestic landscape.

This day we travelled 68km with 749m of ascent

Provence – up into the Mediterranean alps

Posted on Please Donate

Day 2 update

Today, 21st May, we left the mountain town of Grasse. What a difference a day makes! Bright sunshine and light winds! This morning we discovered how beautiful Grasse is. We breakfasted in the town square, overlooking the countryside hills and sea to the south. Grasse is the perfume capital of the area.

But there was good news and bad news to follow. For most of the day we were climbing massive cols! The highest of which was over 1,200m. The good news was the stunning wonderful forested mountain scenery!

We finally arrived at the ancient scenic mountain village of Castellane having cycled 64 km with 1,400m of ascent!

We have now travelled 114 km in total.

Day 1 of our cycle ride raising funds for Ukraine

Posted on Please Donate

Day 1 of our cycle ride:


We left Paris on the on the night train and arrived in Nice on the south coast of France at 9am the next morning, the 20th May 2025.

Unfortunately, the weather had turned a stormy and on the way along the Avenue des Anglais seafront. We had to shelter for over an hour. The heavens had opened and we got absolutely soaked.

Finally, we were able to move on, but the rain was still coming down heavily when we got to Golfe-Juan near Cannes. After asking at number of cafes, we were final allowed into one Turkish cafe with our wet clothes. What a haven and what lovely people! During lunch, we asked the young waiter where the monument to
Napoleon’s 1815 landing was. Amazingly, it turned out it was about 100m away near the beach, so we finished lunch, went to the monument. We had arrived at the beginning of the Route Napoleon! The first stage of our journey through France.

Our first stop was at an ancient hilltop town of Grasse, with its narrow streets and tall buildings, quite a climb up on our bicycles. We stayed in an old mill house by gorge with a stream tumbling though it.

We have travelled just over 50 km, 539m of ascent. of our near 1,500 km journey!

Donate4Ukraine cycle ride – Paris

Posted on Please Donate

Please donate

 We have met some interesting people on the way. One cyclist, Chris, we met was cycling to Turin! His holidays are spent on amazing cycling trips. He’s done Eastern Europe. The night train from Vienna to Amsterdam, and he’s even cycled in Taiwan. On this trip, we are also raising money for Ukraine. His connection with Ukraine is that for the last 2 years, he’s been teaching English as a foreign language to Ukrainians in his home town of Lamberhurst in Kent.

On the train to Paris we met Gautier Moulin. He is French but now lives and runs a software renewable business in Norway. He is 33 and has lived and worked Manchester, the USA and Ukraine where he worked on a wind farm in eastern Ukraine before it was destroyed by the Russian invasion. We are now in Paris and will be getting the night train tonight for the South of France! 🚴‍♀️

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

France – South to North Cycle Ride 2025 and raising money for Ukraine! 

Posted on

900 mile cycle ride raising money for Ukraine! 

Two guys from Sussex are undertaking a new cycling challenge! 

On 20th May we begin our attempt to attempt to cycle over 900 miles from the South of France  to Dieppe and then back to Lewes via the ferry. We are: Jonathan Gilburt  (aged 63) from Newhaven and Vic Ient (aged 78) from Lewes.  Whilst we are on our 900+ mile ride we are hoping raising money for medical and other civilian aid to be sent to Ukraine.  Please donate £5 or £10 or what you can.  We are doing this for two organisations:

Ukrainian Hearts

Based in Lewes in Sussex, they are raising funds to provide cancer treatment for 14-year-old Andrii from Ukraine’s frontline battle zone. They are also raising money for Lviv Regional Children’s hospital Okhmatdyt in Ukraine. The hospital are treating patients with injuries from the bomb shelling as well as providing specialist medical aid which cannot be provided on the front line. 

Click HERE to donate to  Ukrainian Hearts

Convoy4Ukraine

They are  a UK charity (reg number: 1211075) supporting the civilian population affected by the invasion. The  funds go towards the purchase of ambulances and  4×4 vehicles plus humanitarian aid. The vehicles are used for civilian evacuation, medical transfers, delivery of aid. The next convoy of vehicle across Europe to Ukraine in in September 2025. 

Click HERE to donate to donate to Convoy4Ukraine

Progress of the 900 mile cycle trip

We will give updates during our journey. Click HERE to follow our trip. 

For more information about the cycle route click HERE

Thank you 

 

 

Please help raise £2000 to provide cancer treatment for 14-year-old Andrii from Ukraine’s frontline battle zone

Posted on

Please help raise £2000 to provide cancer treatment for 14-year-old Andrii from Ukraine’s frontline battle zone.

Please donate £5 or 10 or whatever you can afford

Click HERE to donate

Andrii was born in a small village in northern Ukraine. In 2022, along with the Russian invasion came the devastating diagnosis: ‘embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma’, a rare and aggressive cancer. Thanks to volunteers, Andrii received lifesaving treatment in Switzerland — 9 rounds of chemotherapy and 28 radiation sessions. He never complained, even through all the pain. He is a brave warrior! Now the cancer is back. At just 14, Andrii is in the fight of his life again — facing more chemo, complex surgeries, and a long road ahead. His biggest dream is to survive and help other sick children like him.

Let’s help Andrii’s dream come true together! Please donate!

Any money raised above £2000 will go to the Lviv Regional Children’s hospital Okhmatdyt in Ukraine.

This fundraising is being organised by UKRAINIAN HEARTS, which are based in Lewes, East Sussex, England. They are a group of Ukraine women volunteers who are dedicated to helping Ukraine in these challenging times. Their mission is to support civilians affected by war and assist those in difficult circumstances.

More info: https://ukrainianhearts.org.uk/contact-us/

 

The story of Nebo i Zemlia – a choral group based in Lewes East Sussex

Posted on

In the heart of East Sussex, the sound of Ukrainian folk songs fills the air, echoing through the streets of Lewes.

 

UKRAINIAN SONG CHOIR

This choir, Nebo i Zemlia [Небо і Земля], meaning Heaven and Earth, is more than just a musical group. It is a symbol of healing, connection and hope for Ukrainians who fled the war. The choir was founded by Liudmyla Kulakova, a professional musician who arrived in Lewes in 2022 after the full scale invasion of Ukraine, like many of her fellow Ukrainians, Liudmyla sought refuge in the UK but she knew that as a musician, she had a unique gift to offer the power of music to heal. She founded Nebo i Zemlia as a safe space where fellow Ukrainians could come together, share their pain and express their emotions through song.

For many members of the choir, communication in Ukrainian was vital as the war tore families apart, singing in their native language became a source of emotional grounding. Choir members find solace in knowing that their voices are not only healing them, also helping those who need it most. Like many creative endeavours, despite all its efforts, this choir needs constant support to help it grow, create and share the beauty of musical culture. The performances often serve as fundraisers, channelling the power of song into a tangible effort to support those who are suffering back home in Ukraine.

The central goal of the choir is to raise funds for children’s hospitals in Ukraine

 

SUMMER CEILIDH! Saturday 14th June from 5:30pm – for UKRAINE

Posted on

SUMMER CEILIDH! – for Ukraine Saturday 14th June from 5:30pm

Dancing! – includes BBQ & Ukrainian buffet

AUCTION OF PAINTING +  RAFFLE

Music by: THE SUSSEX PISTOLS

Admission: £20 (FREE entry for accompanied children under 16)   Saturday 14th June from 5:30pm to 10pm

Venue:  Iford Hall,  Lewes, East Sussex,  BN7 3EJ    Click HERE for location
Tickets (cash only):
Charlottes Dragon (near the War Memorial)
194 High St.,
Lewes
BN7 2NS
or:
Advance bookings: Click HERE
Enquiries: 07840 268596

All profit will go towards purchasing medical equipment for Lviv Regional Children’s Hospital in Ukraine

Spring Songs – Ukrainian Voices & Heaven & Earth Choir Saturday 17th May

Posted on

Spring Songs – Ukrainian Voices And Heaven & Earth Choir  Directed By Lyudmila Kulakova 

4pm, Saturday 17th May,  doors open 3.30pm 

St. Andrew’s Church Bishopstone, East Sussex BN25 2UD 

£20 including Ukrainian buffet and drinks after the concert. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

or go to:   https://www.trybooking.com/uk/events/landing/81503

 

Please display this poster where you can (Click to download):

 

 

 

 

 

 

Donations needed! – Dried & Tinned food next shipment to Ukraine 7th May 2025

Posted on

Donations needed!

Dried & Tinned food – next shipment to Ukraine 7th May 2025

UKRAINE EMERGENCY APPEAL

Thank you for taking the time to read this update. You may already be aware of the work our organisation is doing with the Revival Centre in Chernihiv and other areas within Ukraine. Indeed some of you may already be supporting us, for which we sincerely thank you. The situation in Ukraine is worsening. On our recent visit we sensed that some people are beginning to lose hope; their strength being severely tested by the constant bombardment day in and day out. 

Now, more than ever, farmers are finding it harder to grow their crops of wheat and vegetables due to a combination of overhead bombing and their fields being mined. Food is becoming scarce and, when available, ever more expensive.  We are planning for our next trip to Ukraine at the end of May 2025. Our biggest priority will be food and medical aid. We want to take tinned and dried food with a long shelf life (up to 6 months) and we would be so grateful for any donations you can give – no matter how small 

Types of food needed:  

  • Tinned: meat, fish, vegetables (tomatoes,. beans, pulses), soup 
  • Dried – pasta (including gluten free), rice, oats, milk powder, baby food and cooking oil 

CAN YOU HELP US? 

Please deliver to locations as listed below by Wednesday 07.05.25 at the very latest.

Here is Sussex we have 2 drop off points:

  • Heather Farrant:  2 Janes Close, Burgess Hill, RH15 0QH T: 07982 972 833
  • Vic & Tina Smith:  26 Ferrers Road, Lewes BN7 1PZ T: 01273 478 124

 

OR contact the organisers:

UK-Aid (Felsted Aid for Deprived Children) is a registered charity. The charity was founded by Alan Hilliar and Pauline Craven in 2001.

Contact us on 01371 238941 or 07884 426551 / 07979 067268

Email:  felstedaid@hotmail.com 

 

© 2025 Sussex For Ukraine