Mansfield pub puts out plea for donations to help refugees

David and Daryl Maguire who run The Pavilion pub, Racecourse Park, are calling for donations of aid to help the displaced people.

The pub, on Epsom Street, collects items in its brewery van every Sunday, between noon and 2pm, and is also planning to hold a fundraiser on Easter Monday, April 18, featuring live music with Shaun Knight.

The music event is free, but the pub is asking people to put their hands in their pockets and donate a minimum of £2 – or more if they can afford it.

It is also asking local businesses to support its appeal, and in return the pub will put them on its supporters list.

All the collected items and cash donations are being handed over to the British Red Cross which will distribute the aid close to the Ukraine border.

The pub is particulalrly appealing for medical aids, food, chocolate and sweets. However David urges, please do NOT bring clothing, other than adult hats, scarves, gloves, warm thick socks and thermals.

David, who with Daryl, and other family members, has been running the dog-friendly micro-pub since December, said “Our hearts just go out to the refugees, it brings you to tears seeing on the news what they have been through.

“We can’t do a lot, but we can do this and help in a small way.

“We have been doing this collection every Sunday, for the past five weeks, and the response so far has been really amazing, people have been so generous, we have had things like wheelchairs donated and people have gone out of their way and spent money on chocolates and sweets and other care packages.”

He added "We hope people will keep the donations coming in and will come along to support our Easter fundraiser.”

Visit the pub’s facebook page at bit.ly/3DIDu7m for more details.

David urges people to only deliver donations, on the Sunday, between 10am-2pm, not at other times, as they are often busy serving in the pub.