How to donate to charities supporting Ukraine as aid workers call for money not material goods

Hundreds of thousands of people have shown their support for families affected by the Russian invasion of Ukraine by donating money, clothes, food and essential medicines to those in need.

Around 2.5 million people have had to flee the country amid relentless Russian air strikes, with refugees heading to western borders with Poland, Romania and Hungary to get away from the fighting.

But aid workers have said they are now struggling to deliver material goods to those who need them - and that donating money is the best way to support the cause.

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Limitations around distribution and transport costs mean that not all donated items can be handed to the right people, while aid workers also suggest that buying items locally is a good way of stimulating the economy in affected areas.

Cassandra Nelson, who works for humanitarian group Mercy Corps, said monetary donations are best, unless there is a "very specific request for something like a certain type of medicine".

“Having stuff trucked in here, like clothing items, is not the right solution right now," she explained. “It’s so hard to distribute correctly to the right people, and the transportation costs getting it here with the high gas prices just doesn’t work.

“We have functioning markets here in Romania or in Poland that we can buy what we need from.”

She said her team is in the process of setting up a cash transfer programme with local organisations to get money directly to individuals.

“We don’t want to give people stuff they don’t need, they know what they need, so we want to give them the money for that," she said.

“This will give them a bit more dignity and freedom to do what they need to do