Third Trip to Ukraine

My Name is Mark Hughes, better known as The Big Bear.

I have just returned from my third trip to the Polish/Ukraine border and would like to share my experiences with you.

Back in February, when the crisis in Ukraine began and there was continual media coverage showing atrocities, I felt I needed to help however I could.  Ten months on, the media coverage has dropped, but the need for aid and my desire to help, has increased.

After our first trip in March of this year, I then made a 2^nd trip with medical supplies which ranged from aspirin to Haemostatic dressings, tactical tourniquets, drills for makeshift operating theatres, body bags and scalpel blades etc. These items were required at a time of intense fighting. You’ve probably all heard about Bucha and the atrocities that happened there, and you may have seen on the news that whilst retreating the invaders were stealing TV’s and washing machines, but they also took a lot more.  I’ve seen the wish list from the Bucha Medical centre, and others in the area, the retreating invaders had stripped medical centres bare of anything from dressings to X-Ray machines. Other hospitals and medical units have been destroyed and they are really struggling to help both the public and troops on the front lines.

As the war continues, areas of Ukraine have been without power and water and the temperature is dropping every day, people are living in physically desperate and harsh conditions, alongside the daily threat of bombing.

We wanted to keep up awareness and momentum, so we started to plan our third trip.  We put out a call for donations and we have been inundated:  sleeping bags, warm clothes, walking sticks, blankets, knitted items and the necessities needed to survive a harsh winter.

We raised enough funds to buy a second hand Mercedes Vito van, this would be driven to the border and handed over to the team to be used to deliver supplies into war torn Eastern Ukraine.  Right hand drive vehicles are sought after in Ukraine, as mannequins can be placed in the passenger seats as a distraction in case of a sniper attack, giving the driver a better chance of survival.

Our contacts in Presmyz, Alex and Victoria are so grateful to everyone who has helped, supported and donated.  They are aware that we all have issues of our own and are so appreciative of every single donation.  Both Alex and Viktoria are working tirelessly to get help into the most dangerous areas in Ukraine and have assured us that every item donated will be put to good use.

We were told that in newly liberated villages, Ukrainian soldiers found such desperate conditions that soldiers had handed their winter kit over to freezing civilians. Our donations of warm clothes and medical aid are just what was needed.

The four days of driving were hard going, but as always we received a great welcome in Presmyz.  In contrast to our first trip, when we saw plenty of lorries heading out with supplies, very little aid has arrived recently , this made our donations even more precious.

Myself and my Sister Jo drove the first van and Dave Burge and John drove the Mercedes to be donated.  Both vehicles were full to bursting with donations. We were briefly stopped by customs in France, they opened the door and quickly closed it again after realising the items were packed so tightly.  I didn’t want to load up a second time!

After a night spent with Alex and Viktoria Dave and John flew back home from Krakow to Stansted.  Jo and I spent another two days driving and arrived back in Essex early on Friday morning.  The trip had taken four days to complete.

Our mission was definitely worth it; Alex and Victoria’s network are managing to get our supplies where they are most needed, into horrendous war torn areas.  We won’t be told the exact location of donations as we wouldn’t want to compromise brave volunteers delivering the aid, but you will be able to see from photos that the snow and ice is thick so it is a location deep in Eastern Ukraine. The important thing is that every single item kindly donated will reach a person in need.

The people of Eastern Ukraine, are still in a desperate situation so any help is really welcomed.

We now have another Mercedes Sprinter Van ready to go and to donate and are looking for donations of Medical Supplies and or funds to assist with the purchase of Medical supplies.

The van will be donated to be used by Paramedics near the front line in the East.

Please accept our thanks and appreciation for all your support.