Fylde animal products firm’s bus goes blue and yellow to raise funds for Ukraine

Vetplus, one of the Tangerine Group companies owned by entrepreneur David Haythornthwaite who owns AFC Fylde, has got its promotions bus decked out in the colours of the Ukrainian flag, at the British Small Animal Veterinary Association Congress in Manchester.

The animal nutrition and health products firm has the bus, outside the Manchester Central complex, staffed with volunteers to raise vital funds for frontline medical aid charity, UK-Med.

The Greater Manchester-based charity launched its emergency appeal in response to the humanitarian health crisis in Ukraine and its neighbouring countries.

UK Med has teams out in Ukraine providing on-the-ground primary healthcare and medical response to those displaced by the war.

Vetplus’ bus will be a hub for event attendees and members of the public to donate to the Ukraine appeal via cash or card payments, and find out more about the important work carried out by UK Med.

David Haythornthwaite said: “Like so many of us watching the unfolding devastation in Ukraine, we feel a sense of powerlessness and want to do as much as we can to help where it is needed most. UK-Med is an incredible charity which is delivering vital medical aid right at the frontline.

“We had the space outside Manchester Central booked to coincide with our sponsorship of one of the veterinary industry’s leading conferences. We had planned to park our bus outside and use it as a meeting place to host our customers and colleagues during the show. Given the prominence of the location and the number of attendees at the event, we saw an opportunity to raise awareness for UK-Med’s Ukraine appeal and to provide a physical location where people can donate.

“For every pound raised by conference attendees over the three-days we’ll be at the Manchester Convention Centre, VetPlus will add an additional 50p."

Jackie Snell, Interim Director of Fundraising and Communications, at UK-Med said: “We thank VetPlus for supporting us with fundraising. Our expert medical team, based in Lviv, is working tirelessly to carry out rapid medical assessments across towns and cities in Ukraine to understand the immediate and growing humanitarian health needs.

"We are developing plans to set up a health clinic in Drohobych, one hour south of Lviv.

The situation in Ukraine continues to evolve as do the healthcare needs of the mainly women and children who have been displaced from their homes. Donations are making a real difference to the work we are able to provide on-the-ground, enabling our teams to assess, anticipate and provide emergency and primary health care.

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