Ukraine aid charity has electricity cut off after receiving £174,000 bill

• ITV News Meridian reporter Juliette Fletcher reports on how the electric was cut off for the charity based in Banbury.

A charity in Banbury that helps people in Ukraine says it's worried they'll have to stop sending vital supplies after its electricity was cut off.

UK Help for Ukraine collects and distributes food and medicines to those in need in the war-torn country.

The charity took over over a former department store site in Banbury in March 2022. It's been a central point for receiving donations, a shop for passing on goods and it's also housed a community centre for Ukrainian families.

However, all that stopped after they received an electricity bill for almost £175,000, which they say is not right.

Jayne Wheat, a volunteer for UK Help for Ukraine, said: "Some of us have got our little rooms and spare beds, piled high with things that people drop off. I have my kitchen table piled high with food and toys and buts. my hallway is stacked with black sacks.

"Magda had her sitting room full to the roof and had to put it in a van. because she had no room in her living room. I drive around with my car full of bits and pieces that's how we are managing."

Krzysztof Wiśniewski is a trustee of Banbury's Polish Saturday School and they assisted UK Help for Ukraine to set up the lease because it didn't have charitable status and, although they've never occupied the site, it's their name on the electricity bill.

Last month, a Npower Business Solutions spokesperson said: "In this case, the customer Wislawa Szymborska Polish School has not paid for any energy used since they became a customer of ours in March 2022 and has now built up a significant debt of over £150,000.

In this time we contacted them on numerous occasions, more than 10 times in the last three months alone, to help."

UK help for Ukraine say they have made a formal complaint and are now in touch with Npower trying to resolve the issue.