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How the UK's small businesses are fundraising for the people of Ukraine

How the UK's small businesses are fundraising for the people of Ukraine
Dan Martin
Dan MartinDan Martin Content & Events

Posted: Tue 22nd Mar 2022

When we put a call out to small businesses to share how they are raising money for the people of Ukraine who have been devastated by the Russian invasion, we were inundated with responses. Here's a selection of the brilliant efforts by the UK's fabulous entrepreneurs. We salute you all! Please support them if you can.


William West of Eton

Olga Line is a Ukrainian woman who moved to the UK in 2020. She set up the William West of Eton candle business in a building where candles have been made since 1661.

With her parents, siblings, aunts, uncles and cousins still in Kyiv, she wanted to do something to help. Olga has produced the Flame of Freedom candle. All proceeds go to help people in Ukraine through UNICEF. More than £300,000 has been raised so far.

Flame of Freedom


For The Love Of The North and The Stationery Society

Whitley Bay based For The Love Of The North and The Stationery Society have launched a special stationery gift box entitled ‘Hope’, to support The British Red Cross’ Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal, with 100% of profits donated directly to the charity.

The box includes original and exclusive cards, postcards, notebook, notepad and a few surprises created by talented artists from around the UK.

Lucy and Paul Hull



Freda

Natural and organic period and bladder care products business Freda is donating period products to Ukraine. You can donate here with £15 covering the cost of 100 pads.


Elizabeth McKenna Flowers

You'll probably recognise Elizabeth McKenna as the "bonkers" florist from series 13 of The Apprentice. She has established the Sunflower for Ukraine Mother's Day appeal which is encouraging people to donate £1 for the mothers of Ukraine.

Find out more here and donate here.

Elizabeth McKenna


Abigail Horne

Abigail is a best-selling author and founder of Authors&Co. She has donated money to Ukraine and also decided to put pen to paper. Her ‘War Teddies' poem has been translated into Ukrainian and is being sent with teddies to children fleeing the warzone.

"Every time I was watching the news and seeing a child in Ukraine holding a bear or soft toy, my heart ached knowing which bears my own children would choose, should we ever have to flee our homes," Abigail said.

"Every little person crossing a border, sleeping in an underground shelter or trying to survive this war, is holding and hugging their special teddies, so I wrote a poem for them, in the words of their bears."

War Teddies - Illustration by Esme Talbot on behalf of Authors & Co.

War Teddies - Illustration by Esme Talbot on behalf of Authors & Co.


Thomzo Designs

Author, illustrator and Enterprise Nation member Zoe Thomas from Thomzo Designs is selling a Ukraine colouring in sheet with profits going to the Disasters Emergency Committee Ukraine Appeal.

The colouring in sheet depicts a woman wearing a traditional Ukrainian floral headdress.


Bristol Cooks for Ukraine

#CookForUkraine is an industry initiative started by London chefs Clerkenwell Boy, Alissa Timonivska and Olia Hercules with funds to be distributed through UNICEF to assist embattled communities in Ukraine.

Led by The Ethicurean Restaurant, Bristol's food and hospitality industry has joined forces to raise money by donating some fabulous prizes including a Carpathian Cookery Class from Papadeli co-founder and Enterprise Nation member Catrin McDonnell.

You can buy a raffle ticket through experiences marketplace Yuup. The draw closes on 24 March.

bristol cooks for ukraine


Little Toller and Bluemoose Books

The Packed With Hope campaign, led by publishers Little Toller and Bluemoose Books, is raising £75,000 to help the children of Ukraine.

The money will be used to fill 10,000 backpacks with a selection of items that are both comforting and essential, such as books, head torches, notepads, colouring pencils, toothbrushes, puzzles, playing cards, activity books, bags of marbles, hot water bottles, socks, hats and scarfs, reusable drinking bottles, and many other much-needed things.

At the time of publishing just over £63,000 had been raised. You can donate here.

Packed With Hope


Casa Fina

Salisbury shop Casa Fina is selling sunflowers to raise money for the people of Ukraine.


Gary Anderson

Every year, Gary Anderson, co-founder of Secure Mind Solutions, raises money for charity in memory of his daughters, Alana and Dana. 

In 2022, he is supporting UNICEF by walking the Cleveland Way, a 110 mile trail in North Yorkshire. The money raised will go to the Ukraine appeal. You can donate here.


Siren Craft Brew

Wokingham brewery Siren Craft Brew has re-brewed a beer it originally produced with Ukranian company Varvar Brew in 2018. This time, 100% of sales go to the Red Cross.

The beer is called MAVKA and its name can be traced back through Ukrainian mythology. The inspiration for the beer was a recipe mashup between Siren's ‘Shattered Dream’ and Varvar’s ‘Caribbean Dream’ porter. Find out more here. More than £13,000 has been raised so far.

Siren beer


Dr Zigs

Paola Dyboski-Bryant, Enterprise Nation member and 'bubbler-in-chief' at bubble company Dr Zigs, is selling 'Bubbles Not Bombs' t-shirts to raise money for Ukrainian refugees.

The products are part of the business' wider Bubbles Not Bombs campaign to support children in orphanages and refugee camps across the world.


Little Wild Co. and Something a Bit Different

A group of 40 female founded businesses have come together to organise a mum and baby small business raffle with prizes worth £1,200.

Tickets are £1 each and can be purchased here. The raffle ends on 26 March with the draw taking place on Mother's Day, 27 March.

We were told about the raffle by Rhian Thompson, founder of baby clothes brand Bibevie, who has donated a prize.


The World’s Shortest Social Media Summit

Organised by The Two Lauras, social media experts have come together to produce 114 bite-sized social media marketing videos. Each video contains a top tip, tactic or strategy to help you get better at social media.

You can access the videos by making a donation with all proceeds going to the Save the Children Ukraine Appeal and War Child.

Experts taking part include Anita Popat and Enterprise Nation member Lucy Hall.


Slumbering Hound

Denise Stringer, founder of dogs product brand Slumbering Hound, is selling ‘Stand for Ukraine’ dog bandanas with proceeds going to the DEC Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal.

Slumbering Hound


Sharkie & Bear

Jenny Guertin, founder of jewellery company Sharkie & Bear, is selling Ukraine flag studs with £4 from the sale of each pair going to Action Against Hunger as part of the Ukraine Emergency Appeal. The remaining £4 is to cover payment charges, materials, postage and packing.


Britain Loves Baking

Greg Wixted from Britain Loves Baking has created a 'Chocolate Love Bunny Kit' for £12.50 with £5 going to UNICEF.


Brighton Draw Not War

#BrightonDrawNotWar is a fundraising prize raffle created by over 190 authors and illustrators to support the children and families of Ukraine. Originally set up by Brighton-based authors and illustrators, the project has ballooned to include children’s book creators from all over the UK.

You can see all the prizes, authors and illustrators on Instagram and enter the raffle here. It closes on 24 March.

brighton draw not war


606 Distribution

606 Distribution, in association with the BFI, has launched charity screenings of Olga at cinemas across the UK with a proportion of the proceeds going to the Disasters Emergency Committee. Olga is the story of 15-year-old Ukrainian gymnast exiled in Switzerland, who tries to secure place at the country's National Sports Center.

Pat Kelman, founder of 606 Distribtion, said: "When I saw the film Olga debut last year at Cannes, I fell in love with the story. I knew this film had to be seen, and this story had to be told. To be able to support those in Ukraine who are suffering right now as the war rages is an absolute honour."

Find your nearest screening here.

Olga


Leila Vibert Stokes

Artist Leila Vibert Stokes is donating 70% of the proceeds from sales of her 'PEACE' art print to the Red Cross.

She says: "Inspired by the surreal beauty of antique paintings and full of symbols of peace like Doves, Olive branches and White poppies, as well as Sunflowers and a nightingale, national symbols fo the Ukraine, this majestic botanical print will lift your spirits every morning."


Shared Harmonies

Shared Harmonies, which provides singing and development services for companies and communities, is asking people to come together to support Ukraine by helping to creating a song filled with messages of love and hope.

People are asked to share what they would like to say to people impacted and the contributions will be used to create a song. Once created, people will be invited to learn the song and submit videos of themselves singing it.

The song will then be available for download with the funds raised split between charities supporting families affected by war in Ukraine, Yemen and Afghanistan.

You can join in via Facebook or email admin@sharedharmonies.co.uk to get involved. You can also make a donation here.


Work for Good

The following businesses have donated or are raising money for Ukraine with the help of Work for Good:

Dan Martin
Dan MartinDan Martin Content & Events
I'm a freelance content creator and event host who helps small businesses and the organisations that support them. I'm also Enterprise Nation's Local Leader for Bristol. I have 20 years of experience as a small business journalist having interviewed hundreds of entrepreneurs from famous names like Sir Richard Branson and Deborah Meaden to the founders behind brand new start-ups. I've worked for a range of leading small business publications and support groups, most recently as head of content at Enterprise Nation where I was responsible for the prolific output of content on the company's blog and social media. I now freelance for Enterprise Nation as the website's news reporter and as the host of the Small Business sessions podcast. I'm based in Bristol where I run and host regular events with the local small business community in my role as Enterprise Nation's Local Leader for Bristol. I also have strong connections with other major business organisations in the south west region. In total, I've hosted over 100 events including conferences with an audience of hundreds for international brands like Xero and Facebook and live web chats from inside 10 Downing Street. With my partner, I co-run Lifestyle District, a lifestyle blog focused on culture, art, theatre and photography.

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