Ukraine conflict: People in Northern Ireland rally to help refugees

People across Northern Ireland are rallying together to collect supplies for refugees fleeing the conflict in Ukraine.

Kinga Orkisz is part of a group of Polish people organising a collection point in a Belfast warehouse.

The UN says more than half a million people have fled their homes as heavy fighting continues across the country.

Many Ukrainians have fled to neighbouring countries, including Poland.

Ms Orkisz said people had been very generous with their donations and they were planning to send a lorry to Poland every week.

"My initial idea was to send a few packets to Ukraine. I did not expect so many people to be so helpful," she said.

"On Sunday, we had around 100 people bring donations."

The group is running two more collection centres in Belfast and one in Mallusk, County Antrim.

"Ukrainian people have travelled to Poland with one suitcase, or sometimes with nothing," she said.

"We have collected two tonnes of clothes. We need more medication, cleaning supplies and food, and nappies for babies."

Georgina Kee-McCarter from Sollus Community Centre in Bready, County Tyrone, is helping with the donation effort in the town.

Ms Kee-McCarter, who is a Highland dance instructor at the centre, said she was horrified by the events she saw unfolding on the news.

"It was really difficult to watch the news and see those things," Ms Kee-McCarter told BBC Radio Foyle.

"Last night a few local Ulster Unionist politicians said they were going to do collections and were looking for drop-off points, so I said we can offer the centre."

Ms Kee-McCarter has donated toiletries, blankets and a lot of baby clothes to those in need.

"I have a five-year-old and an eight-month-old and I don't even know how much you can pack into a bag when you just have to leave your home - it's unthinkable," she said.

The Community Rescue Service - a charitable search and rescue organisation operated by volunteers from across Northern Ireland - has launched an appeal from its shop in Coleraine.

Hazel Gallagher said they had been "overwhelmed" by donations on the first day of their appeal.

The donations have just "kept coming and coming" since they opened their doors, and the staff are currently in the process of sorting through all the donations, she added.

Monika Rawson, who owns the Smokey Deli in east Belfast, decided to open up her business as a donation drop-off point.

The businesswoman said she was completely overwhelmed with the response after her Facebook post was shared more than 100 times in a couple hours.

"In just one day we have loads of bags and food," she said.

"It's a lovely response from local people and I have cried all day with the public.

"Everybody who dropped donations, we chatted and everybody is heartbroken what is happening."

The supplies will be driven to Poland this week and Ms Rawson hopes she can continue to collect public donations and have them regularly driven over for as long as the conflict lasts.

On the ground in Ukraine, two missionaries from Northern Ireland who have made Ukraine their home for two decades have said they are planning to stay and help.

Timothy and Rhoda Sloan have been living in Lutsk in north-western Ukraine since 2002.

They feed 80 to 100 Ukrainian children each day, and have now opened up their services to those who have not yet fled.

"We are excited to be here to be a help to the people," said Mr Sloan.

"We do not feel that we are doing anything extraordinary.

"We are doing what God would want us to do and what would be a help for the people here."

The two missionaries say they have not and would not consider the short journey of 60 miles to safety across the Polish border.

"We feel this is where we should be at the minute," said Mrs Sloan.

Meanwhile, on the political front, ministers in the Republic of Ireland have defended the government's reluctance to expel Yury Filatov, the Russian ambassador to Ireland.

There is concern over how the expulsion would affect Irish nationals in Russia.

The Russian ambassador has defended his country's actions in Ukraine as "humanitarian intervention".