Blackpool humanitarians prepare for 1,300-mile journey to Ukrainian border with 20 tonnes of refugee aid

Local members of the Communication Workers Union Humanitarian Aid charity will take the Channel Tunnel to France, then drive an additional 1,000 miles through Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, Austria and Poland before finally landing at the Ukraine border.

There they will meet with charity workers handing out vital aid to the many Ukrainian people fleeing the country as the war with Russia rages on.

CWUHA trustee Chris Webb, who is one of the volunteers making the three-day trip, said: “As a charity, our purpose has always been delivering aid in times of crisis. With the 27 years of experience we have, we felt we had the skills to do just that, as well as the capacity to raise funds and ensure that every penny raised will go on aid.

"We have all seen the horrible scenes that are happening in Ukraine, the families fleeing for their lives, and it’s hard to imagine what they are going through. We felt as a charity it was the right thing to do to support them – and this is only the first step.

"We’re already supporting over 100 families who have gone from Ukraine to Moldova, supplying packages of aid.”

Around 3.6 million people are believed to have left Ukraine since the Russian invasion began on February 24. Neighbouring Poland has taken in 2,144,244 refugees, Romania 555,021, Moldova 371,104, and Hungary 324,397.

READ: Blackpool people ready to open up their homes to Ukrainian refugees

Chris said: “We have 18 tonnes of aid already, and so we’ve got two tonnes to fill before we leave. We’re hoping the fundraiser will not only fund the remaining aid, but also raise enough money so that, once we have entered the country, we will be able to buy more aid for the charities we are working with out there.

"The trucks have been provided by Royal Mail, who are also covering fuel costs – so everything we raise will go directly to the refugees.”

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