WHEN the Eddie Butler Performance Centre opened at Haberdashers’ Monmouth school Sports Centre, an opportunity arose to help Ukraine.

Rotarian Kevin Graham joined the new gym and approached the school to enquire if the contents of the old gym at Hadnock Road might be made available for the rehabilitation of injured people in Ukraine.

Haberdashers’ Monmouth school generously agreed to donate this and two other gyms, which have now been uninstalled and stored by a team from Kevin’s company, Milking Solutions.

On a recent trip to Ukraine, Kevin had seen and heard about rehabilitation projects in need of gym equipment in Lviv, Sambir, and Oleksandriya (170km West of Dnipro).

Will Jackson, of Rotary Hereford, has just returned from Oleksandria after taking a team to help renovate the rehabilitation centre where much of the gym equipment will go. He also delivered aid, including ambulances purchased by Rotary Monmouth following a well-supported online appeal and street collections.

Kevin and Rotary Monmouth are committed to ongoing projects to help Ukraine, with the next campaign aiming to raise £2,700 to transport the gym equipment.

Becky Wilkins, Director of Admissions and Marketing at the school, said: “We are delighted that the equipment has gone to such a great cause. It is wonderful to know that it is helping people and having such an impact.”

Since initially Rotary and Kevin were effectively supporting Ukraine separately, it made sense early last year to bring the Ukraine project into Rotary, and plug into the vast local, national and global resources that the organisation provides.

To continue Rotary Monmouth’s work helping the local community and responding to global tragedies such as Ukraine, new members are needed. More information will be available at Monmouthshire Show on Sunday August 16 where Rotary will be highlighting many projects.