
Coleen Rooney says Unicef support for Ukrainian families is a ‘lifeline'
The media personality recently travelled to Poland with Unicef to see how Soccer Aid donations have directly supported Ukrainian families who were forced to flee their homes.
The 39-year-old said she could not 'imagine' what Ukrainian refugee families must be going through, emphasising how important it is to stand with them.
She said: 'I can relate to being a mum and the first thing (you would do) in that situation is to get out of danger, to make sure that the kids are OK and we can find somewhere.
'I couldn't imagine what was going through their heads… the emotions.'
While in Krakow she visited the Spilno Hub, which helps families find accommodation and offers access to a range of services such as psychosocial support and legal assistance.
The Unicef-run centre has helped people such as Yuliia Karpenko, her sister Olisia and Yuliia's four-year-old daughter Anastasiia 'Nastia' who were forced to flee Ukraine with just one bag on an evacuation train.
She said: 'Hearing about the lasting effect the war in Ukraine has had on Yuliia and her family will stay with me for a long time.
'Her determination to create a safe and supportive community for her family in Poland really shone through.
'Thanks to Unicef, she's been able to meet other mums, learn Polish and find work in a kitchen.
'And her daughter, Nastia, has been able to make friends with other children and spend time playing, just as any four-year-old should.
'It was a privilege meeting Yuliia and her family and to see how money raised by Soccer Aid for Unicef really is changing lives.
'Leaving their home and not knowing when they'll be able to return was so hard for them.
'But spending time at the Spilno Hub has helped them to feel safe.
'It supports families who've fled the war in Ukraine in so many ways.
'It's a very special place.'
During the trip, Rooney visited the Education Rehabilitation Centre, a specialist school funded by the children's organisation which supports young people with disabilities.
There she met a young autistic boy, Murat, who could not talk when they first left Ukraine and has since been able to say a few words.
She said: 'It's such a calming place and the teachers there are so supportive and caring.
'Kateryna (Murat's mother) told me that the changes she's seen in Murat have been incredible.
'When they left Ukraine he wasn't able to talk but he's now started to say some words and can communicate with other children too.
'She said that when they arrived in Poland she felt hopeless but, thanks to Unicef, she can now see a future there for them.'
Donations made to Soccer Aid for Unicef will be doubled this year up to £5 million thanks to the Children's Investment Fund Foundation.
Rooney said: 'As a mum myself, I couldn't help but think of my own boys when I met children like Nastia and Murat.
'Seeing them smile and play despite everything they've been through was incredibly moving.
'Hearing their stories really reminded me how important it is that we stand with families who've been through so much, every child deserves a safe space to play – as a parent this is all you want for your child.'

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


The Guardian
2 hours ago
- The Guardian
Oleksandr Usyk ordered to defend WBO heavyweight title against Joseph Parker
Oleksandr Usyk has been ordered by the World Boxing Organisation to defend his heavyweight world title against Joseph Parker. Saturday's spectacular knockout of Daniel Dubois in front of more than 80,000 people at Wembley ensured the Ukrainian was crowned undisputed world champion once again. Both parties have 30 days to agree terms or the WBO will proceed to a purse bid. Parker, the former world champion, is on a five-fight winning streak, including impressive wins over the former WBC world champion Deontay Wilder, Martin Bakole and Zhilei Zhang. Parker's impressive performances had earned him his first chance to win a world title in seven years against Dubois in February. However, Dubois withdrew because of an infection two days before the bout. Instead, Parker fought Bakole, winning with a second-round KO. The fight against Dubois was not rescheduled and the British fighter then signed to fight Usyk, leaving Parker waiting even longer for his world title opportunity. Parker's scintillating form has been much aided by his coach Andy Lee, who has also helped Hamzah Sheeraz and Ben Whittaker earn breakthrough stoppage victories against Edgar Berlanga and Liam Cameron respectively. Usyk, the WBA, WBC, IBF and WBO champion, mentioned the possibility of defending his titles against Parker on Saturday, with Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua being other possibilities. Sign up to The Recap The best of our sports journalism from the past seven days and a heads-up on the weekend's action after newsletter promotion Fury has insisted that the judges were wrong to award Usyk the victory in their two previous fights in Riyadh last year. Fury has claimed he is next in line, even posting on Instagram that the fight was set for April 2026.


Telegraph
6 hours ago
- Telegraph
Live Emma Raducanu vs Naomi Osaka: Score and latest updates from Washington Open
6:36PM Raducanu 4-3 Osaka* Osaka, looking to stop Raducanu in her tracks, races to 30-0 before getting the better of the Briton in an extended exchange from the baseline to go 40-0. Raducanu does get on the board but Osaka sees out the game to 15. 6:32PM Raducanu* 4-2 Osaka Quick love-hold sees Raducanu consolidate the break. The Briton leads 4-2! 6:30PM Raducanu breaks first There have been a lot of winners so far from both players as the temperature heats up on court in Washington. The serve is going to be very important, but other than Naomi Osaka being taken to deuce in her opening service game, until the fifth game of the opener, neither player came close to taking the first break. With two break points, Emma Raducanu was almost gifted it with the double fault, but to make it count she has to now go on and close out the set. 6:28PM Raducanu 3-2 Osaka* A good return from Raducanu sets up the point nicely for the Briton who gets to 0-30 following an Osaka double fault. The Japanese gets on the board after a good serve out wide catches Raducanu out. Osaka sees a forehand sail wide to give Raducanu two break points... and the Briton breaks as Osaka double faults again. Raducanu breaks! 6:25PM Raducanu* 2-2 Osaka Raducanu nets a forehand to fall 0-15 behind before some attacking play from the baseline sees Osaka scampering at the back of the court. Backhand winner down the line sees Raducanu get to 30-15 but Osaka wins the next point with a deep forehand to the backhand wing to put some pressure on the Raducanu serve. The Briton finds big first serve to bring up game point and she takes it to level up the contest. 6:20PM Raducanu 1-2 Osaka* Some good serving sees Osaka roll through her second service game, holding to 15 to maintain her lead in this contest. Both players have settled quickly into proceedings. 6:18PM Raducanu* 1-1 Osaka Raducanu comes through her first service game, holding to 15 to get on the board. The Briton got a clap of approval from her Japanese opponent following a forehand winner. 6:14PM First set: Emma Raducanu 0-1 Naomi Osaka* Osaka starts with a double-fault before seeing Raducanu net a forehand to go 15-15. After some sparring from the baseline, Osaka picks her spot with a clean forehand winner to go 30-15 ahead before Raducanu hits a clean return winner to go 30-30. An ace gets Osaka to 40-30 and the former world No 1 eventually closes out the game. 6:07PM Coin toss Naomi Osaka won the toss and has elected to serve. 6:03PM First-time meeting Good evening and welcome to second-round coverage of Emma Raducanu versus Naomi Osaka at the Mubadala Citi DC Open. Raducanu saw off seventh seed Marta Kostyuk in straight sets – 7-6, 6-4 – on Tuesday. It was the Briton's first outing since Wimbledon, where she fell to world No 1 Aryna Sabalenka in the third round. Speaking after her victory over the Ukrainian, Raducanu said: 'Extremely good win. Playing Marta first round is extremely difficult and we've always had some tough matches. I'm happy with the way I fought through the first set and in the second, stayed tough when I needed to. 'It's really difficult and extremely important to keep composure and it's such a fine balance in these conditions, where it's so hot, between conserving energy in the heat but also not getting too flat – and that was a fine line I was dipping in and out of.' Osaka was just as impressive against Yulia Putintseva in her Washington opener, beating the Kazakh 6-2, 7-5. The four-time grand slam champion and former world No 1 is looking forward to facing Raducanu for the first time. 'I'm always a person that loves when people are entertained,' said Osaka speaking during her post-match press conference in DC. 'So I would say I'm excited about it. I've never played her before, so for me, that's something really cool too. 'Because I have seen her, I guess when she first did well at Wimbledon before she won the US Open, like moments like that, and I knew she was a good player. So I guess for our paths to finally cross is really cool.'


Scottish Sun
8 hours ago
- Scottish Sun
Oleksandr Usyk ordered to face rare ‘heavyweight who can cause him problems' following brutal Dubois KO
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) FANS believe that Oleksandr Usyk will come up against the one heavyweight he can "cause him problems." The Ukrainian fighter further punched his name in boxing history with his second KO win over Daniel Dubois on the weekend. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 3 Oleksandr Usyk beat Daniel Dubois on the weekend Credit: Getty 3 He has been ordered to fight Joshua Parker next Credit: Reuters 3 Fans think the Kiwi could cause Usyk issues Credit: Getty Usyk, 38, chinned the Brit in the fifth round to become the three-time undisputed champion of the world. He is now on the lookout for his next opponent and fans are convinced of who it should be. Usyk has dismantled British boxing with devastating wins over Anthony Joshua, Tyson Fury and now Dubois. But he has been ordered to look further afield for his next entry into the ring. Fans are demanding that Usyk take on Kiwi fighter Joshua Parker, as he is the only remaining boxer who could challenge him. One posted: "Joseph Parker is the only heavyweight aside Fury who can give Usyk some problems, but Usyk still wins by stoppage, maybe." A second wrote: "Uysk can't win on stoppage. USYK on point. Parker will never quit." A third commented: "This would be a good fight." SUN VEGAS WELCOME OFFER: GET £50 BONUS WHEN YOU JOIN A fourth said: "Parker has earned his shot. And I genuinely believe Parker is the best person to give Usyk an actual tough fight." Another added: "Parker might just be Usyk's boogeyman. Parker has that 'thing' in him." 'Laughed it off' - Joseph Parker reveals Usyk's blunt reaction after face-to-face challenge as rival opens door to Fury trilogy Usyk vs Dubois round by round as brutal knockout cements Ukrainian's place in history OLEKSANDR USYK cemented his name in the list of all-time boxing greats as he became a three-time undisputed champion with a fifth round knockout win over Daniel Dubois. Usyk dropped Dubois multiple times as he put any doubts about his first win over the Brit to bed by cementing the repeat and avoiding the revenge. Here, SunSport's Jack Figg gives his round-by-round verdict... ROUND ONE Usyk looks light on his toes, swaying side to side, Dubois plants his feet and walks forward. Stiff jab from Usyk appears to almost wake Dubois up and the Brit responds with a one-two. Usyk searches to the body with a left, blocks a right hand from Dubois and ends the round with a menacing combo. Usyk 10 Dubois 9 ROUND TWO Dubois lunges in with a right hand, Usyk expertly takes half a step back and responds with a counter left. Another right misses from Dubois and he takes a left cross which has him on shaky legs. Already Usyk is finding his rhythm, making Dubois miss and certainly making him pay. Usyk 10 Dubois 9 (Usyk 20 Dubois 18) ROUND THREE Usyk staggers back after a right hand from Dubois - maybe more off balance than hurt. Dubois charges forward with a left hook, right hand but Usyk covers up well. Huge left hook lands on the button from Usyk, sweat sprays off Dubois face. Usyk 10 Dubois 9 (Usyk 30 Dubois 27) ROUND FOUR Right uppercut lands on Usyk's belt-line in a genuine case of dejavu from low-blow gate in their first fight. Dubois traps Usyk in the corner, lands a right but the Ukrainian legend slips off before any troubling damage can be done. Left hand lands for Usyk but Dubois grabs on and closes the distance, smart defence to cap off his best round so far. Usyk 9 Dubois 10 (Usyk 39 Dubois 37) ROUND FIVE Right hook followed by a left hand lands for Usyk has Dubois teetering backwards. Dubois comes forward, charging at Usyk and the two trade off in the corner but DOWN GOES DUBOIS after a counter right hook. He makes it to his feet but is dropped with another left hook and the fight is over! Dubois fails to beat the count and Usyk is once again undisputed heavyweight world champion. Usyk wins by KO And fans will be pleased to discover that Usyk has reportedly been ordered to fight Parker by the WBO. He will have to defend his WBA, WBC, IBF and WBO heavyweight world titles against the New Zealander. The two fighters have 30 days to agree on a deal, and then there will be bids for the purse. Meanwhile, after beating Dubois, Usyk had a press conference in stitches as he named his left hook that won him the fight. He said: "Left hook is like this [imitates a punch]. "And that [is] Ivan. It's a Ukrainian name. Ivan is like a big guy who lives in a village who works. "'What is your name?' [In a heavy voice] 'My name is Ivan'. "It's hard, hard punch. Yeah, Ivan." The undefeated star revealed he wants to spend some time with his family before deciding on his next match. He added: "I don't want anything next, this is enough. I want to rest now. I want to get home to my family and wife and my children. "I want to rest now but maybe - in two or three months - actually no, just rest."