A Kirkcudbright businessman has been overwhelmed by the support of Stewartry residents for people in war ravaged Ukraine.
Nick Morris, who runs Station House Cookery School, launched a fundraising appeal last week to help people in the country where he lived and worked for 20 years as an English language teacher.
And he was stunned by the response which saw thousands of pounds sent straight to a colleague working near the border between Poland and Ukraine.
Mr Morris, who is originally from Norwich, said: “I know this part of the world is incredibly community spirited but the response has been incredible.
“The donations were better than I ever imagined. There was almost £10,000 within five days of it being opened.
“Every two or three hours I was able to say to my contact that there was more money. It was being spent instantly on supplies and in Ukrainian shops, boosting the local economy.
“I have suspended it for now as they have enough for the next week to 10 days.
“The next thing is getting medical aid and first aid kits out there.
Mr Morris also teamed up with Massive Outpouring of Love (MOOL) to use the cookery school as a collection point for people looking to donate clothes to be taken to Ukraine.
That has also been suspended due to the flood of donations.
And he is keen for people who are fleeing Ukraine to be given new homes in Dumfries and Galloway.
He said: “This could be the biggest humanitarian disaster since the Second World War.
“I saw on the news on Monday that only 50 visas have been granted.
“That is appalling and made me embarrassed to be English.
“We need our politicians to put pressure on Westminster to do more.”
