This International Womens Day we planned to celebrate confidence and all the incredible ways, as women, we
can
inspire
this in each other to bring about change. We had all the details mapped out - and then everything
changed. Needless to
say, it felt overwhelmingly urgent to put the right actions in place in response, rather than press on
regardless.
I
have always chosen to support women through philanthropy and mentorship and so my instinctive response to
the
Ukrainian
crisis was to find a way to support women and children who have been displaced as a result of the invasion.
Families
have been divided and ordinary people have lost their homes. My mother’s side of my family are Russian and
they
left
their country of birth as refugees after the 1917 revolution. They travelled through Berlin and Paris before
settling in
England where they were welcomed and allowed to make their way. Although I think of myself as British, I
have
always
been proud of my Russian heritage and over the years have taken lots of inspiration from it. I see no
connection
between
the beauty and culture of Russia and the barbaric actions happening in Ukraine today.

Like everyone looking on,
I have
been overcome with a sense of shock and sadness. While we all look for ways to come together and help, I
can’t
think of
a better expression of what I think we all need than these symbols of ‘Help’, ‘Hope’ and ‘Love’ Annoushka
will
donate
100% of the proceeds from our Helping Hands collection directly to the Red Cross, who are doing amazing work
to
help
Ukrainian refugees in Poland and other bordering countries. One man’s actions do not reflect the will of
the
people.
Like many Russians, I have Ukrainian friends and feel we are as close as brothers and sisters – so to
witness
this war,
with so many completely innocent people caught in the crossfire, feels truly heart-breaking. We only hope a
resolution
can be found soon and, in the meantime, that our support will make a difference. If you want to donate and
help
the Red
Cross directly, please follow this link.
#WeStandWithUkraine