ALMOST 50 vehicles have now been delivered from Warwickshire to Ukraine.
Two more ambulances and a Range Rover set off from Warwick Services on Friday July 11 in the latest humanitarian mission delivering urgent aid to the war torn country, and taking the total number of vehicles handed over to 48.
They will be used to support civilians and medics in frontline zones of Ukraine.
The cross-border mission, led by the Belveder charity and supported by LKQ Euro Car Parts, brought together volunteers including former high court judge Anthony Cleary, David Blick of Warwickshire Gin Company, vice lord-lieutenant of Warwickshire Pal Sanghera, deputy lord-lieutenant of Warwickshire Simon Miesegaes, David Owen JP and Sean McGovern, senior coroner for Coventry and Warwickshire.
After travelling over 1,040 miles, the team reached Leżajsk, Poland on Sunday July 13 where they were welcomed by Gmina Leżajsk and the local folk group Zoski. The final leg of the journey will be carried out by Caritas, which will deliver the vehicles across the border into Ukraine.
The journey wasn’t without challenges. Near Ghent, Belgium, one ambulance suffered a flat tyre.
Thanks to quick thinking by Mr Sanghera, who used Google Maps to locate a nearby tyre repair garage, the team soon found help.
Mr Cleary said: “Another successful convoy to Ukraine, meeting our brother charity on the Poland/Ukraine border for the final handover of the vehicles. Two ambulances and a Range Rover — which is more nimble and used to extract wounded personnel who are under attack. This expedition brings us to just under 50 vehicles delivered since our first endeavour. Each driver is conscious that this is the least we can do to keep the flame burning,”
