Hayling Island ferry offers 'game-changing' ferry passes to help Ukrainian refugees

The island’s ferry service has teamed up with ‘Hayling helps Ukraine’ to generously donate season ferry passes for Ukrainians on the Island that need access to Portsmouth.

The successful community based group, ‘Hayling helps Ukraine’, was set up with the aim of helping Ukrainians wherever possible.

They are now running ‘Hayling bikes for Ukraine’ which restores donated bicycles for Ukrainians to help them travel around the island more easily.

The group realised the challenges of travelling around the area, particularly without any means of transport which initiated the idea of a collaboration between Hayling Ferry and ‘Hayling helps Ukraine’.

Colin Hill, the skipper of the Hayling Ferry, said: ‘When you see on TV what these people have been through, how can you not help out? It’s heartbreaking. We’re here every day going across the water every 20 to 30 minutes. It’s the least we can do under the circumstances.’

The move is the latest show of support by islanders from Hayling.

Since Russia invaded Ukraine in February, scores of residents have supported aid collections across Hayling.

Houses across the island also sport the blue and yellow national flag of Ukraine, with some flying from flag poles alongside the Union Flag and others adorning windows.

Speaking of the latest show of support, Paul Gray, who founded Hayling Helps Ukraine. said: ‘We are extremely grateful to Colin Hill and all the Hayling Ferry team who have very generously provided free season tickets for our new guests. Colin has got a heart of gold and didn’t hesitate to get involved when asked if there was anything the ferry could do.

‘People have had their lives ripped apart by war. None of us can individually stop Putin but we can all do things to let our new friends know they’re welcome, and we can all make their lives a little easier in these terrible times for Ukraine.’

Paul Gray added that the ferry donation, in conjunction with the bike restoration, ‘is a real game-changer for our new friends’.