[View this email in your browser]() On Friday the 15th of March Nataliya Pipa, the People’s Deputy of the Verkhovna Rada for the 115th constituency, Sychiv district, part of the Lychakiv district of Lviv, visited the Scrubbery. The visit was organised by Fleur Anderson, our local MP and Vice Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Ukraine. This group works to promote and strengthen relations between the UK and Ukrainian parliaments. Nataliya serves on a committee of the Ukrainian parliament focusing on National Health, Medical Care and Medical Insurance.  Nataliya was accompanied by her staffer and translator,  Khrystyna Shpak. We were also delighted to host Matthew Whitty, Fleur’s Chief of Staff and Djamilia, a local supporter of The Scrubbery.

Just as Rosie was leaving Ukraine last year, Fleur had messaged to say that she was a mentor for Nataliya but there was no time to arrange a meeting then. Subsequenly a visit should have taken place last year but the situation changed and Nataliya was no longer able to leave Ukraine. So it was good to meet up at last.

Several important issues were discussed including the possibility of secure warehousing in Lviv as well as fair and supervised distribution of the goods provided by The Scrubbery which are transported by road from the UK. Rosie pointed out that whilst many of the goods sent are very useful and life-enhancing, the two critical products that save lives are tourniquets and camouflage netting. She wondered whether there was any mechanism to transfer money to Ukraine so that tourniquets can be bought locally, where they have been redeveloped to meet Ukraine's precise needs. This would be quicker and cheaper by avoiding transport across Europe, and support the Ukrainian economy. It would also avoid exposing delivery details online which could have catastrophic consequences.

Rosie also for Nataliya's help in establishing a business plan for the building of a children's ward to assist those who have lost limbs, much like the adult Unbroken ward in the First Medical Union hospital, also in Lviv. Many children, as well as adults are casualties of war.

Nataliya spoke poignantly about life in Ukraine in a war zone. She had brought a photo of her two sons and a piece of shrapnel that had hit their school, 2000 kms away from the frontline. It brought home to us the reality of life in Ukraine.

Nataliya also visited the Oasis school library, which was set up by the Scrubbery and opened by local author and illustrator, Michael Foreman. A complete reading scheme worth £3,000 had been sent from the Scrubbery to St Nicholas children’s hospital in Lviv for their school room for children in longer term care. Rosie sent a well being bag from the Scrubbery team to President Zelensky and his family with Nataliya. It contained a beautiful hand made bag, a hand knitted scarf and hat in his trademark camouflage colours, some stress checking toiletries, a little book of serenity and a War Boy mug, which was donated by Michael Foreman, who was himself a war boy. In the last newsletter several of the volunteers introduced themselves and we have another fine selection this time.
**Lesley** I am a retired teacher with a love of painting, learning Italian, volunteering and being on the go. Covid happened! A friend showed me the scrubs she had been making through her church’s Church Action group. I got involved by asking various groups I belonged to to seek out sheets and cotton thread as requested; delivering these top St Mary’s brought me into contact with the indomitable Rosie.  I am not a seamstress, unlike my mother, and I was soon doing a variety of things when the operation moved to The Bank of England Club: cutting wire for masks, making “string” from tee shirts, removing the frills from duvets, sourcing and wrapping soap, packing items, making camouflage netting and best of all bundling the scrubs elements as ‘a gift’ for members of the sewing team as well as other jobs that prevented waste. It wasn’t long before my husband and son became involved to a lesser degree but enjoying the camaraderie and knowing that we were all part of a group that was helping so many during the Covid years. All preparations for a quieter Christmas made, we even spent a very enjoyable few hours on Christmas Eve 2020 helping at the Scrubbery. I was delighted that I was able to introduce several members of our Putney WI to the Scrubbery. Members did what was needed at the Scrubbery or made scrubs at home with some making some meals for Rosie for a while. PWI also has helped with financial donations as well with making contributions to help those suffering in Ukraine.  Of course, things opened up and I was drawn back into my other activities and so my time at the Scrubbery has be curtailed. However I had always enjoyed printing out many of my own paintings for Thank you cards, and over time have written a few 100 of these cards to accompany the gifts in the lovely ” Thank you” bags and I am delighted that I can still do this when they are needed in bulk, bringing in a team of WI colleagues to help.  What a privilege to be part of this amazing enterprise! Thank you, Rosie, for your foresight, imagination and determination! **Liza** I am Liza, a retired NHS nurse from East Sheen who can adequately sew. I am a member of Barnes WI and we were asked by Putney Scrubbery to help sew NHS scrubs when Covid hit the country. It seems an age ago now.  Since then the NHS needs have been fulfilled and Covid has joined all ‘normal’ viruses going around. The invasion of Ukraine then happened and enormous xxl scrubs were needed to be sewn. They were huge. It has been marvellous to be able to help the Scrubbery during and after Covid lockdowns and to then support the brave Ukrainian people. My son-in-law’s grandmother was Ukrainian.  Sewing gave me a way to assist, although deep maroon scrubs were hard to sew in the winter gloom. It has been good to meet other like minded sewers and Rosie. She is the truly amazing founder of Putney Scrubbery who deserves a large medal 🥇. **Suzy** I am still very active (in mind and body) but was feeling sadly underused because all my time was spent looking after my unwell husband and grown-up children. I found the Scrubbery and immediately felt this was a worthy organisation to which I could devote some of my energy. I am so glad I found the Scrubbery when I did. I used to work in book publishing, and later, when Rosie presented the opportunity to help form a new library for the Oasis Academy, I felt that this was my calling. I found out about it from a volunteer called Sylvia, who was working in the charity shop on Putney High St. It was serendipity! I was looking for a shop where my 14-yr old daughter could do some volunteering for her Duke of Edinburgh Bronze award. In the event, the Scrubbery was much more my thing than my reluctant daughter’s. But I live hopefully that she will have seen the commitment of so many others, and realise that there is a huge role for volunteers at all stages of life! How I help? I make camouflage netting and I check out books and do all sorts of jobs in the library several days a week. I love the library work - ensuring the smooth running of the library, recommending books to the children and supervising the library monitors at lunchtime. It is a job which sees the enormous benefits brought to each child whose life is improved by reading. (“Reading changes lives” was one of the slogans I saw on a child’s bookmark this week). Highlights: working for a good cause; the support and friendship of so many other volunteers; following in the footsteps of such a fearless woman as Rosie. This is not literally, but seeing the wonderful and hardworking example she sets. She is simply amazing! **Anna** I am Anna, aged 81, originally from Turin in North Italy. In 1988, my husband and I moved to England with my parents and our two small children. We felt there were more opportunities for us in Britain at that time. We settled in Folkestone near my uncle who ran a smart restaurant on the seafront called Portofino. In 2010, my husband and I moved to London as our son was working in the city. Putney is my home and I am happy to be close to my two grandsons. I heard about The Scrubbery from the WI in Putney and first joined when it was in the Bank of England. Now it is even more convenient as I can walk here. I enjoy coming for several reasons. I like to do something for people who are less fortunate than me. I meet many people with different interests. Everybody helps whatever the task. You are valued for who you are, not what you do. I am old and it keeps me young! When I see photos of the hats and the camouflage, I think that some of that is my work. I am part of it. **Lindsay** My name is Lindsay and I first heard about the Scrubbery via our local WhatsApp group. I was a nurse for a long time, my last job being a school nurse locally. I love coming to the Scrubbery mainly because we're all working together for a common cause. We make each other laugh as well and sometimes get into some deep discussions. I sew scrub hats and other small things, and also spend some enjoyable time in the school library. There's a lovely variety to every day. If you have information to include in the newsletter please send it to Jo ([Joanna.teverson@yahoo.co.uk](mailto:Joanna.teverson@yahoo.co.uk)), who we welcome as our new newsletter compiler. Thanks so much to Jo for stepping up.