On 11th July 2026, we welcomed back to the ‘Ukraine Unit’ donation centre, one of our most well known supporters, Sir Lindsay Hoyle, MP for Chorley and Speaker of the House of Commons.
It was good of Sir Lindsay to take the time to have a chat with the Volunteers. We had the opportunity to talk about the various ways we have been able to support Ukraine and how we have been able to fulfil specific requests from civilians, medical establishments and the military.
He offered words of encouragement and echoed our own ethos, that if individuals and groups across Europe, and the world, can carry on helping Ukraine, it will make a difference and Ukraine will have its victory
From Sir Lindsay’s own social media account, he said this about his visit:
I was very pleased to be invited to make another visit to the ‘Ukraine Unit’ donation centre in Chorley.
“Operated by Stuart Clewlow and the dedicated Volunteers, the Chorley & District Support for Ukraine group has worked tirelessly since February 2022 to provide help and aid for the people of Ukraine.
On arrival I ‘clocked on’ using an original WW2 time recorder from the Royal Ordnance Factory in Chorley where we once led the way in packing munitions and now the ‘Ukraine Unit’ has put Chorley on the map again packing life-saving aid and supplies.
It was great to meet the Volunteers and some of the people donating. We welcomed donations from the Copeland Crafters based in Cumbria, and it was fantastic to hear that donations are now being delivered to Chorley from all across the North West and as far a field as Anglesey. The group also works closely with a number of other organisations across the UK and in Ukraine, to make sure that supplies reach the people who need them most.
Please visit the ‘Ukraine Unit’ if you can, to learn more about what is being done in Chorley, to handover donations, or to see the displays of Ukrainian artefacts. The donation centre is right next to Chorley Town Hall and open every Wednesday 2-4pm and every Saturday 10am-12.
Thank you to all the Volunteers for their humanity and steadfast support for Ukraine.”
We were all very pleased to see Sir Lindsay again and his kind words to the Volunteers were not only encouraging but also very much appreciated.
