The Playing Cards Making a Difference

In 2023 there cam together an idea of how to educate children on the dangers of war. Or perhaps more correctly the dangers left behind by retreating soldiers who cared little for the conventions of war. As well as the ordnance one would expect to find all manner of booby-traps designed to harm and maim rather than kill are now scattered across Ukraine.

Today Ukraine is the world’s most mined county.

In September, on convoy to Ukraine two of the Directors of Help4Ukraine made a short film about these cards.

The cards were the work of many volunteers who came together. Help4Ukraine co-founder, John Fuggles, was fortunate enough to recently meet one of those behind the idea, from the London Livery Company the The Worshipful Company of Makers of Playing Cards. To share stories of how this had helped children and to thank hi for his work and that of his fellow members. Even as we deliver aid to Ukraine, we realise there are many more doing amazing work, like us, or something different to what we are doing. So it gives us great honour to pass on the thanks of so many children we have met and we have shared these cards with.

Just recently we also had the chance to meet the CFO of The Halo Trust. And thereafter their operations director and other members of the team, most notably those supporting the work in Ukraine.

The HALO Trust  helps countries recover after conflict. Clearing landmines, to save lives, is at the heart of what we do. We work with communities that are too often forgotten once the fighting has ended, a point reinforced by Princess Diana after her visit to Angola in 1997. 

But the nature of conflict has evolved, so too has the dangerous debris left behind when the fighting is over. As well as clearing landmines, we  deal with unexploded ordnance, from bullets to aircraft bombs, and we educate communities to keep them safe. We also build safe arms stores and systems for securing guns.

Whilst Help4Ukraine is dedicated to providing medial and humanitarian aid, delivering ambulances and equipment; we continue to support others doing great work and we hope you too will support them in the work they do.