"Thank you, Bocholt!"

An official delegation from the Ukrainian region around Ternopil now handed over a letter of thanks to the people of Bocholt for their help and willingness to donate. As is well known, the Eastern European country has been in a state of war for almost a year following the Russian attack. Bocholt's first city councillor Thomas Waschki accepted the letter of thanks on behalf of the sick mayor Thomas Kerkhoff.

In April last year, the "Helping Hands" initiative from the parish of St Joseph called for donations to help the people affected by the war. The appeal met with a great response. Two shipments of relief supplies were sent to Ukraine.

And it continued: yesterday, another large, fully packed lorry left Bocholt for Ternopil, carrying around 800 boxes of blankets, winter clothing, 50 rollators, 108,000 surgical masks, 14 generators, food, medicines and even a hospital bed. "I would never have believed that it would work so well", said Leo Engenhorst, coordinator of the initiative, visibly moved. "The willingness of the people of Bocholt to donate is fantastic"

The city of Ternopil agrees and sent its head of department, Ruslan Kulyk, together with a small delegation to Germany to personally thank the people of Bocholt. Kulyk symbolically presented Bocholt's First City Councillor Thomas Waschki with a letter of thanks - "for the humanitarian, voluntary, monetary and personal help and support of the people of Bocholt."

"Bocholt feels with the people in Ukraine every day when the terrible images from the war zone reach us", replied Councillor Waschki. "If we can do good in difficult times and help a little, then we are happy." Above all, he passed on his thanks to the many private initiatives in Bocholt.

Stefanie Niehaus and Leo Engenhorst accepted letters of thanks especially for the groups "We like to help" and "Helping Hands". "Even if the occasion is a sad one, you can also see the positive side: We have met wonderful people, close friendships and valuable connections have been formed", said Niehaus.

Ukraine is already thinking about reconstruction

The Ternopil district is located in the west of Ukraine, between Lembeck and the capital Kiev. The region is home to 225,000 people. An additional 80,000 war refugees are currently seeking refuge there, reported Mr Kulyk. His fellow countrymen are certain that Ukraine will win the war against Russia. Ukraine is already thinking about rebuilding the country. He suggested that the country could use the experience of German cities such as Bocholt, for example in the form of partnerships.