On the 24th of February 2022, Russia launched a devastating invasion on Ukraine, as President Putin breaks a 2015 peace deal between the two countries. Airports and military headquarters were targeted first, before bombs rained over cities and residential areas, leaving Ukrainian civilians in devastating circumstances. Putin’s orders have inflicted serious casualties on innocent Ukrainians, with hundreds of lives lost already. Families and children have escaped to bomb shelters, and over half a million Ukrainian citizens have fled to Poland and other nearby countries, to seek refuge.

Like many of us, you may be feeling helpless in this worldwide crisis as thousands of Ukranians flee to safety. We have put together a few ways that you can help Ukraine and their innocent citizens. Whether you have the means to give to charity or, you have spare clothes, toiletries and food – every little helps.

Donate To Charity

Save the Children – “As this war unfolds, our Ukraine crisis response aims to reach 3.5 million vulnerable children and their families.”

Services include distributing essential supplies and winter kits of clothing and blankets as temperatures plunge below freezing, providing cash and vouchers assistance to families to meet basic needs like food, rent and medicines, offering vital mental health and psychosocial support to children and their families, and providing access to safe, inclusive, quality education. Visit their website to donate.  

British Red Cross – “We are gravely concerned about the intensification of fighting in Ukraine over the past few days. People are losing their homes and lives; families are being separated. Essential services, like water and healthcare, are under threat.”

Donations will help provide food, water, first aid and medicine to those in need. Visit their website or call 03000230820 to donate. 

UNICEF –  “UNICEF is especially concerned for the safety and wellbeing of children who have become separated from their families We are working round the clock to keep families safe.” Your donations will go towards providing families with access to clean water and healthy food, helping to make sure that child health and protection services continue, and the assessment of the refugee situation across neighbouring countries. Visit their website or call 0300 330 5699 to donate. 

UNHCR – “UNHCRcover every angle of emergency response.”  Services include; providing camps in safe zones, installing water and sanitation, and providing emergency care to injured civilians. Visit their website to donate.   

Donate essentials 

Organisations across the UK are accepting clothes, sleeping bags, toiletries, and other essentials to help Ukrainian citizens, and those that have been forced to flee. 

In London, The White Eagle Club is now taking donations of clothes, clean shoes, bedding, and sanitary products for refugees in Poland. 211 Balham High Road, SW17 7BQ. The Lewisham Polish Centre is taking donations of soups in cups, disposable table wear, nappies, cardboard juices, and wet wipes. 8 Waldram Park Rd, London SE23 2PN.  

Additionally, The Polish Integration Support Centre’s British and Polish Solidarity with Ukraine campaign is collecting donations at sites across the country.  The locations include; Polish Social Club, Southampton – 507 Portswood Road, SO17 2TH, Polish Merseyside Liverpool – 254 County Road, Liverpool, L4 5PE and BeeHouse Manchester – Deansgate Locks, 2 Whitworth Street, Manchester M1 5LH. 

Words By Lucy Rosenberg

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A colossal 13 million items of clothing a week are carelessly sent to landfill with the textile industry accounting for up to 10 percent of the worlds greenhouse gas emissions. Believe it or not this is more than international aviation and shipping combined! By consumers only purchasing second-hand clothing they can help Oxfam with their work to reduce these emissions. As well you can share your finds using the hashtag ‘secondhandseptember’ and tagging Oxfam so you can do your bit and help spread the message. As if everyone partakes in altering their shopping habits these small changes can make a massive difference.

Miller has been the focal point of a stunning photoshoot which will be seen on posters in the windows of over 500 Oxfam shops. In these images she is showing off her glamorous Oxfam clothing to represent the ongoing fight with throwaway fashion. These clothing items will be available for shoppers to purchase in Oxfam’s pop-up shop in Selfridges London, so they can dress to impress too whilst contributing to a sustainable future.

Sienna Miller said “I am delighted to be the face of Oxfam’s Second Hand September to help draw attention to how choosing second-hand fashion can be kinder for our planet. These small changes can make a huge difference. And rooting around in a charity shop is like hunting for treasure. Be a magpie! #secondhandseptember”.

“Rooting around in a charity shop is like hunting for treasure.”

Sienna Miller

And she is not wrong! This campaign can be welcomed as a thrilling challenge as Oxfam’s stores have vintage gems up for grabs that can’t be found anywhere else.

Oxfam’s pop-up shop in Selfridges has been styled by the charities independent fashion advisor Bay Garnett who has included garments which will evoke nostalgia for the 1980s such as punk inspired clothing. This shop will also be selling a one-off T-shirt for the event designed by illustrator James Lacey.

Bay Garnett is a big advocate for this event as he claims, “I have always loved charity shopping – the creativity involved in putting random clothes together to make an outfit, and the independence of choosing second-hand…I  love how the Selfridges pop-up shop brings Oxfam prices to Oxford Street, making it a choice that’s accessible to everyone’s pockets.”

Other brands supporting Second Hand September includes House of Baukjen who are launching their new Pre-loved scheme as they taking customers old clothing and recycling them into something new with 50% of net proceeds donated to Oxfam. Ebay, Joules and Superdry are also companies working alongside this scheme to help the cause by giving clothing a new lease of life.

There are no excuses to not take part either as this challenge is accessible to all as people can also support this campaign by shopping on the Oxfam Online Shop. And the silver lining of these purchases is that the money you spend will be put into the charities lifechanging work. For example, they aid people in coping with severe weather events such as the Cyclone Amphan in India and Bangladesh last year as well as planning for the consequences of future climate change.

It’s more important than ever to take part in this fight as Danny Sriskandarajah, Chief Executive of Oxfam GB states “Scientists warn we have just nine years to prevent catastrophic global temperature rises so all of us – governments, companies and individuals – have a role to play in rapidly reducing carbon emissions”. So, by opting for the second-hand clothing purchase, we can leave a lighter footprint on the planet as well as showing retailers that fashion needs to be slowed down. Just because you can’t feel the effects of climate change, does not mean no one else can. That is why by donating your money to Oxfam through these second hand purchases you are helping some of the world’s poorest people cope with these climate changes.

The Oxfam x Bay Garnett pop-up shop runs from 6 September until the end of December and the money raised will go to Oxfam’s work beating poverty around the world. The charity has 70 years’ experience of championing second hand so there is no place better to spend your money. So, what are we waiting for? Let’s take part in this challenge and shop smarter for September and join Sienna Miller and many more in the battle against climate change.

Words by Josie Cooke

The post Are You Ready To Take On The Challenge Of Second-hand September? appeared first on Voir Fashion.

Big, small, round or pointy; whether you love your boobs, or you are learning to appreciate them – looking after them is imperative. This month is Breast Cancer Awareness month – you’ve probably heard of it; you might even know someone personally who has been affected by breast cancer but truthfully when was the last time you checked your breasts? Despite 50% of the population owning a pair of boobs, speaking about checking them remains a dangerous taboo. The earlier breast cancer is diagnosed, the greater the chance of successful treatment and therefore, monthly boob checks should be an uncompromisable step in everyone’s health and self-care routine.

Bodies, specifically women’s bodies, are often stigmatised by society. We face it all; we are sexualised, pressured to look a certain way by the media, and told from a young age not to discuss our natural bodily changes including periods, sex and yes, boobs. So, it is no wonder breast health is often overlooked as just another thing women should handle in private. Thanks to charities such as Coppafeel, this outdated mindset is finally changing.

Checking your boobs for the first time can be daunting and this is largely due to the fear of the unknown that surrounds it. It is important to remember that 9 out of 10 breast lumps are not cancerous but taking the time to self-examine your breasts could be life-saving. Breast cancer survival is improving every year in the UK, doubling in the past 40 years. This is due to a range of improvements in treatment, care and screening but the most important factor that remains is earlier detection and faster diagnosis.

A Guide to Check Your Boobs – What Do I Look for?

Anyone can check their breasts themselves and it only takes a few minutes. Don’t be anxious to have a proper squeeze and familiarise yourself with what your own ‘normal’ feels like. Boobs do naturally change over our lifetimes but getting to know your own body is the first step in noticing what is ‘normal’ for you, this can be different for everyone.Your comfort should be the main priority here; you may prefer lying down, standing in front of a mirror, or doing it in the shower. There is no wrong method as long as you are taking the time to check in with your body.

The main things to examine are:

1. 1) A change in shape or size.

2. 2) Redness or rash.

3. 3) Lumps (both visible and under the skin).

4. 4) A change in skin texture or thickness.

5. 5) A change in nipple appearance (particularly inverted nipples).

6. 6) Dimpling or puckering of the breast.

7. 7) Bloody discharge.

8. 8) Constant pain in the breast or the armpit.

1) A change in shape or size.

2) Redness or rash.

3) Lumps (both visible and under the skin).

4) A change in skin texture or thickness.

5) A change in nipple appearance (particularly inverted nipples).

6) Dimpling or puckering of the breast.

7) Bloody discharge.

8) Constant pain in the breast or the armpit.

Note: it is important to inspect the whole breast, the armpits too and up to the collarbone.

Doing this simple routine each month will help you stay on top of any changes and enable you to act quickly if anything looks or feels unusual.

Yes, Men Get Breast Cancer Too

Everybody has breast tissue and consequently, breast cancer can affect everyone. While less common than in women, up to 400 men are diagnosed with breast cancer each year in the UK. Many diagnoses go undetected because it is not widely known that men can get breast cancer too but checking our chest region should be a monthly practice for everyone. The most common symptom to keep track of are; lumps on the chest area that are often painless. Other things to keep a note of include – discharge, ulcers, swelling, and a change in nipple appearance.

Who Can I Talk to?

Facing cancer, or a potential diagnosis can feel incredibly lonely. It is very easy to feel as if no one knows how you are feeling at all. The sympathetic looks, while meaning well – don’t typically offer much reassurance for anyone navigating such an unknown disease. First, you must know you are not alone in this. In fact, breast cancer is the most common type of cancer in the UK and 1 in 8 women will develop the disease at one point in their life.

If you have symptoms or feel anxious about anything, making an appointment with your GP is the first step. Bring a loved one with you or go alone if you prefer. At a time where everything can feel so uncertain, it helps to remember you still have control of your surroundings.

The GP may refer you to a Breast Clinic. Breast Cancer Now explains what can be expected from an appointment at the clinic including a mammogram, ultrasound scan, core biopsy, and fine-needle aspiration. These tests may initially sound frightening, but all the clinic staff are extremely friendly and will do their absolute most to make you feel comfortable during the appointment.

There are charities working daily to dismantle the stigma surrounding breast cancer and offering their support to those navigating a diagnosis either personally or through a loved one.

Breast Cancer Now is a research and care charity providing support for anyone affected bybreast cancer. They are committed to helping individuals not just through treatment butinto the future as well. They operate a free helpline on 0808 800 6000 which allows callers to talk to professional breast care nurses.

CoppaFeel is another name you’ve likely heard of who are making extreme moves in dismantling the stigma surrounding breast examinations. Coppafeel specialise in educating individuals in a fun and approachable way which in turn, is normalising breast and pec checking for everyone. They even offer a handy service that sends text reminders to check your boobs each month.

COVID-19 has heavily impacted developments in cancer research this year but Breast Cancer Haven is fighting to support patients despite the climate. They are running free online classes including yoga and support sessions, which are hosted by health care professionals. They are easily accessible from remote locations, meaning the people who need support are getting it no matter what.

In such an uncertain world, it is very easy to shy away from our health and postpone checking our bodies out of fear, silenced by the noise of everyday life. But this October, it is time to commit to our breast health for once and for all. These are our bodies and we need to take the time to care for them. Remember to have a squeeze and stay safe.

Words by Yasmin Norvill

Graphics by Frances Scott

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