Temporary Support Centre for Ukraine in the Shopping Centre Turawa Park – summary of the 9 months of activity
December 6, 2022
On 26th of February 2022, The Turawa Park Shopping Centre opened its doors to help war refugees from Ukraine. Within hours, dozens of volunteers, and hundreds of donors from across the Opole region had signed up. This was the first step towards the creation of the largest in the region and one of the largest refugee support centres in Poland. TOWU has provided support to Ukrainian citizens who have left their country out of fear of war. More than 150,000 visits were registered since that time. The volume of the assistance provided to help refugees there, from 17 March until today, has exceeded 3 million PLN. Over 3,000 volunteers came to help at the Temporary Support Centre for Ukraine in the Turawa Park Shopping Centre, and some of them are still working at the centre to this day. Thanks to the consistant assistance of the Opole Regional Branch of the Polish Red Cross the operation of the center has gained such a permanent nature.
…. But, this story is not about the numbers, but rather about how everybody’s life has been changed by participating in this private and social project that has grown to unimaginable proportions.
A solidarity and great empathy of people from Opole is the key to the success of the Temporary Support Centre for Ukraine, which has been in operation for nine months.
Opolans surprised the whole country, and especially the refugees from Ukraine, by their commitment to help the war victims. The willingness to support and the great commitment, in the first days after the outbreak of the conflict, of hundreds of people turned into a huge act of social solidarity. Our society met one of its greatest challenges yet. Aid was widespread – almost everyone got involved. People have opened their hearts, they have opened the doors of their homes, they have held food, clothing and hygiene products donations, they have held jobs fair. These people, all of whom became overnight social activists, found the strength and the will to help those in need almost every day. Over time, helping refugees, for those still in a position to do so, became a daily occurrence.
The project called ‘Volunteers Have Power’ was created to show gratitude and admiration to all volunteers for what they do
A series of publications have been published on social media and on the Turawa Park Shopping Centre website.
https://turawa-park.com/aktualnosci/nadchodzace-wydarzenia/WOLONTARIUSZE
The majority of the heroes from this project started their volunteering at the beginning of functioning of the Temporary Support Centre for Ukraine. They are called Heroes because they are ordinary people who can do great things, in the right faith, and they simply act – FROM THE GOOD OF THE HEART.
Volunteers to volunteers. With the purpose of showing the world and, in particular, benefactors how the Temporary Support Centre of Ukraine functions, a short documentary film was made.
„We have created a family – this is where the extraordinary bond between people of different nations, built on friendship, care and hope. This is the bond, far stronger than war, and no bomb or rocket can destroy it. Never.” – said Andrew Shramko, TOWU volunteer.
Video link: https://m.youtube.com/
Currently, approximately 1,000 refugees per week are assisted at the Temporary Support Centre for Ukraine. The centre will operate until 30th of January 2023.
„The Temporary Support Centre for Ukraine was created spontaneously, as a need occurred when war broke out in Ukraine. It was made possible thanks to the quick reaction of the owner of the Turawa Park Shopping Centre, who decided to make the gigantic space of over 7,000 square meters available. As well as thanks to the willingness of our local community to help those in need. None of us, not even in our wildest imagination, expected TOWU to function for so long.” – said Agnieszka Pyzanowicz-Francke, director of the Turawa Park Shopping Centre.
The functioning of TOWU would not be possible without external support. Many companies and institutions, including cities and organisations from abroad, have been involved in helping.
„The Opole Regional Branch of the Polish Red Cross would like to thank all benefactors, both individuals and companies, who have supported and are supporting our aid activities aimed at refugees from Ukraine. Special thanks go to all the volunteers who “built” the Temporary Support Centre for Ukraine, sacrificed and dedicate their free time so that TOWU could function efficiently and fulfil its mission.” – said Dawid Drożdż – District Director of the Polish Red Cross.
The Opole District Branch of the Polish Red Cross, the Turawa Park Shopping Centre and the TOWU Volunteers would like to address their special thanks to: Nutricia Zakłady Produkcyjne in Opole, the Food Bank in Opole, Mubea Automotive Poland sp. z o.o., the units of the Voluntary Fire Brigade (from the Turawa municipality) and the Municipal Chief of the State Fire Brigade in Opole, Lellek Opole, Dino Polska and the twin towns of Opole.
More information on www.turawa-park.com
The Turawa Park Shopping Centre is a modern retail facility combining the features of a shopping mall and a retail park, managed by BNP Paribas Real Estate Poland Sp. z o.o. More than 36,000 sqm of retail and service space features 60 shops and service outlets. It includes a Carrefour grocery hypermarket and an IKEA Order Pickup Point. Customers can use 1,400 free parking spaces.
The key tenants of the Turawa Park Shopping Centre include: Reserved, Mohito, Sinsay, Media Expert, Smyk, Calypso Fitness Club, Action, Pepco, C&A, Martes Sport, KiK, CCC, Super-Pharm, Takko Fashion, Deichmann, Carry, Szachownica, Rossmann, Sephora, Empik. Turawa Park is located by the Opole ring road. This location provides convenient access for more than 200,000 residents of the city and surrounding areas.