November 2025 News

At the end of November Americans celebrated their traditional feast of Thanksgiving. At the Scrubbery, we too are celebrating the giving and receiving of thanks. 

Rosie recently received this message from Ukraine:

‘Let me express my sincere gratitude from the Taraschan City Council of the Tarashchan City Hospital and our patients for your support to Ukraine and humanitarian assistance provided at this extremely difficult time for our country.

Your sensitive heart, concern and active citizenship are an example of true humanity and international solidarity. The support we received thanks to your efforts and the activities of the Scrubbery Foundation has become invaluable for our hospital. It has helped not only to strengthen our ability to provide medical care,but has also become a source of moral strength and hope for many. 

At a time when the Ukrainian people are forced to fight for their lives, dignity and freedom, your help is a manifestation of true friendship, compassion and faith in common values. You have demonstrated that even after thousands of kilometres you can feel the pain of another people and extend a hand of support.

We deeply appreciate your kindness and efforts to make the world more human. May all the good that you give return to you in a hundredfold size. We sincerely wish you good health, inexhaustible energy and inspiration to continue your extremely important business.’

December the 5th was International Volunteer Day and we received this (translated) message from Dimitro, who works with one of our partners, Lynda, in Ascot, thanking us for our help.

Today I want to thank those who hold the back as tightly as the warriors hold the front. Thanks to those who made the decision to be close to those under fire and those who need help. Volunteers are people who come to help even when no one asks. You are angels in armour, yet without armour. Yes, your hands are support, it is faith in humanity, it shows the world that Ukraine is unbreakable. Thanks to everyone, in the country and abroad, Ukrainian and citizens of another country. Thank you all friends - we are together day by day approaching victory. Volunteers are the ones who look, support, help, save, and give hope.

We, in turn, at the Scrubbery, have many people to thank for their support, dedication and generosity.

Gareth and the community at Forest Green have collected wheelchairs (ordinary and electric), prosthetic limbs, commodes, walking sticks, zimmer frames, tractor and motorbike tyres, a generator and different weighted sledge hammers for rehabilitation. Two trailer loads were delivered to the Scrubbery for onward delivery by Pickups4Peace and Dimitro.

Gareth helping Paul load his truck

Kevin collecting for Ascot

Last week a shipment to Ukraine also went with Medical Lifelines UK  which included scrubs and essential medical items.

Please note that in general we are unable to post photos of our deliveries in Ukraine because geolocation from photos can compromise the safety of the recipients. As Paul, from Pickups4Peace, said, when asked for images of delivery, “Thanks, we don't get to see that as it occurs overnight on the Friday. This time we drove to a stadium car park, because the military had been told we were a target. We arrive in the dark, we leave the vehicle with keys in and never see them again.”

We also thank Artis at Northwick Park and St. Mark’s Hospital, part of the London NW University Healthcare NHS Trust, who co-ordinated the donation of some retired and some new uniform including scrubs, tunics and trousers. Thank you as well to Robert, our volunteer driver, who collected the donation. 

Last but not least, thanks go to our volunteers who have made many things possible, including:

• A consignment of more than 500 trench candles which has been despatched.

• The knitters who continue to make gorgeous cast socks, children’s jumpers and cardigans, children’s toys and scarves and hats to combat the winter cold.

• The camo warriors have raced to complete the snow camouflage net which was sent with the completed forest net. We are now working on a mud and snow landscape net.

An update on the visit of the school children from School 73 in Lviv. 

After their return home, Rosie spoke to the children on a zoom call. Both sides are keen to stay in touch. As one of the children said;’ Such meetings remind us of friendships over the kilometres.’ The call was unfortunately cut short by an air raid siren when the Ukrainians had to decamp to the air raid bunker but it was so lovely to keep in touch albeit briefly.

Natalya Pipa, their MP visited their school. They shared their experience of the trip to London with her, talking about new discoveries, their emotions and their gratitude for the opportunity to see the world from a different aspect. They thanked Ms Pipa for ‘supporting the youth and for her sincere interest in school life’. They showed the friendship quilt that we made for School 73  where it hangs in their school.

Foodbank Bags

Thanks to Charl, The Curtain Tailor, for the great fabric and to Gillian for making more than thirty carrying bags for the Christmas rush at Foodbank. It is a terrible thing that in a developed country such as ours Foodbanks are a mainstay for many people but we are glad to help in whatever way we can.