I am creating this fundraiser and will be running 100k in the next 30 days (16/09 - 15/10) to aim to raise £500 for a fellow craftsperson in need, who I have been friends with since 2021 and who's work and craftsmanship I truely admire.
Vyacheslav Lynnyk is a Master Toolmaker with 7 years experience making specalist leatherworking tools and former carpenter. Vyacheslav is from and based his business in the city of Kupyansk in the Kharkov region in Ukraine, until he and his family had to flee due to the war, leaving his life's investments worth of tools, machinery and equipment in his workshop, as well as their family home, which have been devestated. Prior to their evacuation, they spent 8 months living in the warzone, witnessing their city being destroyed due to the bombings, and having to survive in appauling conditions without electricity, clean water, food or heating through the freezing winter months, during which time I lost contact with Vyacheslav online, and did not know if he was still alive.
It was wonderful to re-gain contact with him and find out that he and his family were being evactuated to another town where there was potential for him to set up a basic workshop to enable him to get back to what he loved doing the most.
Sadly, in April 2024, due the the warzone spreading, they had to evacuate yet again. He and his fmaily are now living in a deralict house and using a small barn as a work place. Due to power shortages, the amount of work that Vyacheslav can accept through his Etsy shop is very limited, and now the Ukrainian government have stopped giving monthly benefits of $50 to it's citizens to survive, he is struggling to support himself and his family.
I would like to show my support by raising £500 to contribute towards tools, materials and basic living costs, during such a challenging time.
Thank you in advanced for showing your support - we never know when it could be us that find ourselves in a similar situation in the future!