We are a group of like-minded friends who have been wondering how most effectively we can provide some small measure of support to the brave people of Ukraine coming up to two years on from the Russian full-scale invasion and so have decided to join an existing team of individuals based in and around Northamptonshire. The team has to date raised some £250,000 and have taken out four aid convoys to Ukraine, the most recent of which has just returned from Lviv, sixteen pickups and an ambulance each full of medical and humanitarian aid have been delivered.

The team includes organiser, Paul Parsons, Oleh Naida and his wife Uliana who are Ukrainians temporarily living in Towcester with their three children, Anthony White and Tisha Sykes. Oleh has accompanied each aid trip to Lviv and plays a vital role in liaising with Ukrainian authorities and our contacts once in Ukraine, Uliana establishes the priority needs of those we are supporting and acts as buyer of aid, Anthony sources vehicles and Tisha, a retired solicitor, acts as treasurer.

On the 20th of January 2024 we intend to drive out to Lviv in western Ukraine and leave there four pick-up vehicles to be used for emergency evacuation and to assist with the humanitarian effort. Our aim is to raise sufficient funds not only to buy these but also to fill each vehicle with medical items and humanitarian aid which have been specifically requested by our contacts and which Uliana will source from suppliers with whom we have developed links and so make every penny work. Priorities change from month to month but on our November trip we supplied the following items:

SAM junctional tourniquets; Tourniquets CAT; Israeli Bandages; Vented chest seals; Abdominal emergency Bandage; Celox gauze; Soft Stretchers; Ecoflow River 2 Max Generators; Ecoflow Power bank 20000; Food pouches; Ear muffs; Cookers; Medic Rucksacks; Sleeping bags; North America Talon II Folding Stretcher; Persys New Intraosseous Device; Tonometer Omron.

In addition we collect otherwise redundant supplies donated by local NHS hospitals and surgeries for use by civilian hospitals in Ukraine. ( see photo).

We have no administrative or overhead costs, cross channel transport is donated by Eurotunnel and all personal travel costs and cost of diesel will be funded by those of us driving the vehicles so any monies raised will be used to buy here in the UK the vehicles and items that have been requested by the groups we are supporting in Ukraine. These include our trusted Ukraine volunteer network contact Iryna Volk, frontline medic teams and evacuation services for moving critically wounded individuals to hospitals in safer regions. When we reach Lviv the aid will be passed to our volunteer aid network from where the vehicles and aid will reach their final destinations within a matter of days of arrival in Ukraine. On occasion we accompany these deliveries and meet those for whom they are provided.

If we are fortunate enough to be able to acquire more aid than can be taken out in January, we will follow it up with a further trip hopefully in May 2024 and thereafter for as long as the war lasts and we can raise funds.

CAF: In the event that you would prefer to make a donation using a CAF account, Peterborough Cathedral as a registered charity have kindly agreed to act as 'banker' where cheques need to be paid into a charity account. In those circumstances your CAF voucher should be made payable to ‘ Peterborough Cathedral Chapter (AFU) ' and posted to Patricia Sykes, The Old Rectory, 1 Banbury Road, Litchborough, Towcester, Northamptonshire, NN12 8JF with your contact details so that we can acknowledge your generosity

Cheques: If you would prefer to make a donation by cheque it should be made payable to: ‘ P T S Parsons Ukraine Aid ‘ and posted to Paul Parsons Ukraine Aid, Southfields House, Towcester, Northamptonshire, NN12 8EA with your contact details so that we can acknowledge your generosity

With best wishes and thanks,

Charles Moubray, Chris Whitamore, Peter McMillan, Richard Tice, Tam Leeming, Charlie McGrath, Anthony White and Paul Parsons.