Jersey Post and Guernsey Post are offering free postal services to Ukraine, and Airtel-Vodafone, Jersey Telecom and Sure are offering free calls and SMS to any of its customers trying to get through to friends and family.
Telephone calls and SMS messages
Airtel-Vodafone
Peter Zunino, Head of Sales and Marketing at Airtel-Vodafone said: “Our thoughts go out to anybody affected during these distressing times, and we are pleased to help in the best way that we know by offering anybody in the Channel Islands with links to the Ukraine to stay in touch with their loved ones free of charge, backdated to 20th February.
“Whilst we work to implement the change in our billing system, customers can be assured that any charges for calls and SMS messages to Ukraine from 20th February onwards will be waivered.” Free calls and SMS to Ukraine are being offered by Airtel-Vodafone until 19th April, backdated to 20th February.
Jersey Telecom
Pip Carpenter, Head of Consumer Market at JT, said: “We have all seen the deeply disturbing images and news coming from Ukraine and our hearts go out to the people caught up in this tragedy. We want to do what we can to help and, working with Jersey Post and others, we hope by making phone calls free will support those who are trying to contact and stay in touch with friends and loved ones.” As of 1st March 2022, all Jersey Telecom fixed and mobile calls and SMS messages from the Channel Islands to numbers in Ukraine will be free.
Sure
Sure Group CEO Alistair Beak said: “We’ve all been seeing the events unfold in Ukraine and recognise the devastating impact. Our thoughts are with all those affected.
“We understand the importance of being able to connect with family and friends, especially at this time, so we are providing support for those islanders who have loved ones in the region.
“We want to help in any way we can, however small. Like many telecom operators, we’ve made mobile and landline calls and texts to and from Ukraine free. Any usage that has been charged since 23 February, will be automatically refunded back to our customers’ accounts.”
Postal services
Jersey Post
David McGrath, Group Marketing Director from Jersey Post, said: “As both JT and ourselves are in a position to help, we started working on how to make this happen over the weekend. Keeping in touch with people at moments like this are vital, and we will do all we can to help those caught up in these tragic events.”
Mail should be hand-delivered to both Broad Street Post Office and Rue des Pres Post Office for processing by Jersey Post. Jersey Post will waive postage charges for mail addressed to Ukraine from 28th February.
Guernsey Post
In conjunction with a Polish based organisation, Help Ukraine, Guernsey Post is offering free postage for humanitarian aid packages sent to Ukraine.
Anyone interested in sending parcels should deliver them to the Guernsey Post’s main retail counter at Postal Headquarters. The parcels will be despatched by Guernsey Post to a warehouse in Poland where arrangements have been made for onward transportation to Ukraine.
Help Ukraine have advised that many of the usual supply chains are now unavailable. But the organisation has identified an urgent need for medicines, food rations, blankets, and other humanitarian assistance. Further advice is available here.
Help Ukraine advise that Packing must withstand all stages of handling without breaking. It must be clearly labelled with full details of content and the consignee, and normal electronic customs form requirements will need to be completed. The parcels should be clearly marked ‘HELP UKRAINE’ and addressed to: –
Help Ukraine, Pol-Cel, Rampa Brzeska 63, 22-100 Chełm, Poland
Anyone wishing to send letters or parcels directly to friends and relatives in Ukraine can also do so free of charge by posting at the Envoy House counter, but delays are almost certain given the current circumstances.
