Blackpool granddad ‘incredibly touched’ by bravery of Ukrainian refugees at Polish hub where children arrive with nothing but the clothes on their backs

Alan Murdock, 66, and his cousin David dropped off medical supplies, toiletries, baby supplies, sleeping bags, blankets and children’s clothes at a refugee hub in Przemyśl, a city in south east Poland near the border of Ukraine, during the three-day round trip last month.

Now the pair are preparing to make the long journey a second time, crossing England, France, Belgium, Holland and Germany to deliver a second van of important supplies to refugees hit by invading Russian troops.

READ: Humanitarian convoy from Blackpool drops off 20 tonnes of aid at Ukrainian refugee hub in Poland

Alan, a granddad of one, said: “These families didnt seem to have done anything wrong, and were subject to a very aggressive attack. I’ve served in the Territorial Army in the past, and I couldn’t really sit there and do nothing about it. I wanted to help in some way. I wondered if the people of Blackpool would support us if we did get a vehicle and went down to help these people.

"I approached Pete Marquis Contractors and they happily lent us a vehicle and supported us massively, starting us off with a full tank of fuel which took us all the way down to the Channel Tunnel.

"We ended up at Przemysl. Every train that was coming into the train station was full of women and children who had nothing but what they were stood up in, and there was a massive aid organisation set up there. On the way down we passed a convoy of British ambulances and all sorts of vehicles heading in that direction with support.

"It was obvious when we arrived at the station that this was the start of the aid, and very soon we realised that every train that arrived was bringing hundreds of displaced women and children who had little more that what they stood up in.

"There were food marquees giving food to the people as they landed and we even saw some students at the station entrance making balloon models to give to the small children.

"We were soon directed to the leader on the ground and he sent us to to another location which was a large Tesco store about the size of the one in Blackpool, with a huge car park. The Tesco letters had been removed and this was now an international aid station for the thousands of woman and children that were to be relocated to different countries to their temporary new homes. The place was full of coaches, mini buses, ambulances, food stalls, and on the ground were hundreds of woman and children queuing beside the large coaches waiting to board.

“We were soon directed to a chap that seemed to be in charge of the army of of helpers and volunteers, he explained that they had what they needed for that day at that location.

"We were directed to another site where a team of young Ukrainian students were going on a daily basis into Ukraine to deliver aid to people who had been left behind, and we were very happy to drop our stuff off to them, and they were very grateful to receive it.

"We showed them pictures of Blackpool so they could understand where it came from, and when they saw the Tower they said 'It's like Paris!’.”

READ: 50 Ukrainian refugees helped into housing and work by Fylde humanitarian group

He added: "The one thing that stood out to me was the bravery of these people. I had made my mind up at that stage that this would not be that last involvement I would have with this group, there had to be more I could do.

“To see these people who have had to leave their homes with next to nothing, leaving behind their fathers, their grandfathers, their sons – it’s something you can't not be incredibly touched by it when you see it.

“Every single mile was worthwhile, and that’s why we decided that we wanted to do it again.”

Alan, David, and driver Ian Blake will set off on the 3,000 mile round trip once again on May 22, and are in the process of collecting donations – with special requests being made for long-lasting, tinned food.

Alan said: “I received a beautiful letter by email from the Ukrainian group; they also sent a list of their continued needs. The first item on that list is food. Many are starving as the food is all gone and the routes to replenish are, by and large, blocked.

"There are currently over 100,000 civilians trapped in Mariupol alone who need food, medical supplies, and sanitary items.

"This is not a war on soldiers fighting soldiers because the advancing Russian army do not differentiate between solider and civilian; they murder all in their path, as the mass graves being detected not by satellite are proving.”

People who want to donate to the convoy are asked to drop off supplies at The Shovels pub on Common Edge Road, St Annes, during opening hours.

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