Sarah Ferguson visits Ukrainian refugees in Poland
Sarah Ferguson visits Poland to offer support and comfort to Ukrainian refugees and doles out hugs to young people as she declares ‘the world has a duty to support them’
Duchess of York was welcomed in Poland today to meet Ukrainian refugees Fergie, 62, was pictured meeting a mother of two who fled from DniproShe said that it has been a privilege to meet them and to hear their stories
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The Duchess of York has spoken out about her heartbreak for Ukrainian people amid the Russian invasion, after becoming the first member of the extended royal family to travel to Poland to meet Ukrainian refugees.
Prince Andrew‘s ex wife, who is grandmother to Princess Eugenie‘s son August, one and Princess Beatrice‘s daughter Sienna, born in September, this week visited a centre for refugees in Warsaw.
Almost 3 million people have fled Ukraine, with more than 1.7 million going to Poland. The Duchess, 62, visited the country’s capital city where she visited the centre and met Mayor Rafał Kazimierz Trzaskowski, to find out ‘what more we can do’.
Fergie, who has said the world ‘has a duty to support’ people affected by the crisis, took to Twitter to share details of her visit, describing the invasion as ‘heartbreaking’, and urging people to help.
Her own charity, Sarah’s Trust, has sent three articulated lorries packed with aid to three regions in Poland.
The Duchess of York (pictured right) meeting Olga (picture left) a mother of two who fled from Dnipro with her two children David 4, and Sophie, 2 – her husband is fighting in the Ukrainian army
Fergie, 62, was welcomed into Poland by Polish politician and the current Mayor of Warsaw Rafał Kazimierz Trzaskowski. She is pictured here meeting Ukrainian children who have fled to Poland with their families
The grandmother of August, one and Sienna, born in September said in an Instagram post that she has always believed that the smile of child is the most important thing in the world. She is pictured here speaking with a little girl
She wrote: ‘The invasion of Ukraine is heartbreaking to watch. So many families are being separated and displaced. I’m honoured to be welcomed to Poland today by [Mayor Rafał Kazimierz Trzaskowski] and meeting Ukrainian refugees. Poland has taken in at least 1.7m so far.’
In another Tweet, she added: ‘My charity [Sarah’s Trust] is doing all it can to help: so far we have sent three articulated lorries with supplies from UK donors to support Ukrainian refugees in Poland. I’m here to learn from [Mayor Rafał Kazimierz Trzaskowski] what more we can do. So many people are caught up in this conflict.’
In a third post, she called on people to help, writing: ‘Mayor [Trzaskowski] showed me around one of the buildings giving refuge to families including Olga and her young children. He told me how an extra 9,000 children have arrived in Warsaw’s schools over the last 10 days and there’s a real shortage of teachers. Warsaw needs our help.’
Among the aid sent to Poland by Sarah’s Trust are clothes for women, children, nappies, hand sanitisers, toiletries, torches, and non-perishable food. Fergie said she ‘can’t thank the kind hearted donors’ enough.
Sarah toured the centre’s sleeping facilities for refugees. Rafał Kazimierz Trzaskowski (who she met during the visit) has been part of the opening of a Warsaw job mediation point for the refugees
Fergie, who has sent three articulated lorries full of aid including clothing and nappies to Poland for Ukrainian refugees, was pictured engaging with children during the trip
Mayor of Warsaw Rafal Trzaskowski (pictured, left) welcomed Sarah to the centre for refugees, where they discussed how best to help people fleeing Ukraine
During the visit, Fergie (pictured, left), posed with volunteers working at the centre for refugees
Fergie, who recently returned to her online show Story time With Fergie and Friends to show support to the children of Ukraine, was pictured embracing and comforting young people and their families who have escaped the invasion.
In an Instagram post detailing the visit, she revealed she had spoken to families about their experiences of fleeing the country in a bid to find safety, including one mother, Olga, who fled from Dnipro with her two children David 4, and Sophie, 2, leaving her husband behind to fight in the Ukrainian army.
She wrote: ‘I had the privilege to listen to Olga’s unimaginably brave story of escape from bloodshed. I promised her that I would pass on her deepest wish, NO MORE WAR, to the world. I am humbled by such courage and humility.
‘I also met Anna, a production assistant whose parents remain in the outskirts of Kyiv, taking refuge in the basement of their building with no electricity or water for days. What these people are going through is unimaginable.’
Fergie shared details of her trip on Twitter, branding the invasion ‘heartbreaking’, and calling on people to help
Mayor Rafał Kazimierz Trzaskowski, a Polish politician and current Mayor of Warsaw, showed Sarah around the refugee centre.
He has been part of opening a Warsaw job mediation point for the refugees, where there are interpreters, positions to fill out forms and information and leaflets in Ukrainian.
In a post on social media he said that at the mediation point they are looking to hire influencers as soon as possible, primarily in healthcare and education.
He said: ‘We are trying to ensure that the large number of new residents does not negatively affect the comfort of life of all Warsaw residents.’
Much of the aid sent to Poland by Fergie’s charity Sarah’s Trust is to support parents and their young children. Here, the Duchess is seen chatting with a young refugee during her trip
Mayor of Warsaw, Rafal Trzaskowski, spoke to Sarah Ferguson about the influx of Ukrainian refugees into Warsaw, and how they can be helped
The Duchess, who recently returned to her online show Story time With Fergie and Friends to show support for both the children of Ukraine and their parents and grandparents, was pictured embracing refugees at the centre
Fergie said that it has been a privilege to meet the Ukrainian refugees and to hear their stories
Fergie has already received a lot positive comments from her social media posts about the trip, many brimming with blue and yellow hearts to show their support and love.
One user commented: ‘ Sarah you are the best!!’
Whilst another added: ‘Amazing xx they def need lots of support xx’
A third said: ‘Amazing! Keep up the great work! Thank you for sharing her story and thank you for sharing links on your story last week where we could donate.’
The Duchess has already used her YouTube show Story time With Fergie and Friends, to try to comfort children worried about the war.
Earlier this month, she said that from now on, she’ll be hosting the show, with Little Red, the heroine of her own series of children’s books.
‘I decided that I would go make Story time with Fergie and Friends actually be ‘Little Red Story Time and Fergie and Little Red’s stories,’ she said.
Little Red, who wears a red and white dress, will be a real ‘bringer of joy and bringer of hope’ on the show, Fergie said.
‘I know lots of people, mums and dads, aunts and grannies, grandpas, and all these children out there in the big world, they are all frightened,’ she said.
