The final figures are now in, and it has been yet another successful Christmas for the Plant and Hire Aid Alliance, sending love and presents to desperate children at the heart of the Ukrainian conflict.
The Alliance is an industry charity with over 60 member companies across the sector. It was created to support the people of Ukraine. They have already delivered tonnes of food, medical supplies and generators across the country, as well as much-appreciated Christmas gifts for the country’s children – often the only gift they will get.
A fourth Christmas campaign
2025 was the fourth year that the Alliance has run a Christmas campaign, to send gifts to Ukrainian children, and the presents just keep coming. This year alone:
- 4,400 gifts were wrapped by 100 volunteers at the Ipswich Wrapathon
- 3,000 gifts were wrapped by 150 volunteers at the Bath Wrapathon
- 1,000 gifts were wrapped by twenty volunteers in Bedford
By dispatch day, on December 10th, the Alliance had 12,000 gifts, seven tonnes of flour and five much needed generators heading for Vinnytsia in Central Ukraine, ready to be distributed by local Rotary Clubs in the area.
Not just about numbers
Of course, it’s not just about the numbers. Since they delivered their Christmas gifts to the children of Ukraine in December, the Alliance has been inundated with heart-warming pictures of happy faces posing with their new toys.
As Andriy Baganich, from the Rotary Club of Kosice, explains: “For children growing up in the reality of war, these gifts are not only a moment of joy at Christmas, but also a reminder that they are seen, remembered and not alone”.
The Kolmok community agrees, citing the case of a young girl, Arinka, whose father died defending Ukraine: “At such moments, you especially feel the value of our freedom and the power of human support. Let these gifts become, for Arinka, a small ray of joy, warmth and care – a reminder that she is not alone, that there are people around who remember and support her”.
A huge thank you
The Plant and Hire Aid Alliance receives donations from Alliance members across the UK, as well as hundreds of individual gifts from members of the public. They rely on these gifts to make their work possible, and are constantly amazed and humbled by the generosity shown, as founder, Jeremy Fish says:
“No one expected the war in Ukraine to last this long, and we never imagined that people’s generosity and commitment to the cause would continue as it has,” he says. “Once again, the support from across the plant and hire industry, has been remarkable, as has the generosity of friends, colleagues and supporters of our humanitarian efforts in Ukraine. We cannot thank them enough for their kindness.”
Andriy Baganich agrees: “Thank you for the warmth you give to our children – and for your belief in the good that unites. A sincere thank you to everyone who made this possible.”
More work to do
Sadly, despite the best efforts of international governments, the war in Ukraine continues, and therefor so does the work of the Alliance. They are already working on their fifth annual campaign, to give the children of Ukraine a Christmas in 2026. They have secured 40 pallets of gifts already, and they would welcome any further donations of any size, from an individual gift to a corporate donation.
“We are incredibly grateful for the support so far,” says Jeremy Fish. “We warmly welcome any further help and hope that like-minded companies and individuals will continue to stand with us.”
To find out more about the Plant and Hire Aid Alliance, and to see how you can help with gifts, humanitarian aid or practical, logistical support, visit aid-alliance.com or email ukraine@ardenthire.com