Farmers join forces to help West Country-based Ukraine charity

WE are currently experiencing an extraordinary level of inflation, something that has not been seen for a generation.

For example, in the dairy sector, according to the latest figures released by the Agricultural Horticultural and Development Board (AHDB), the prices of cream, butter and mild cheddar have risen by 85%, 70% and more than 50% respectively during the last year.

This reflects the massive increase in input costs which all farmers are facing as fuel, fertiliser, feed costs have rocketed.

As a result, local milk buyers such as Barbers Cheesemakers, based in Ditcheat, are also having to respond to these unprecedented events to review the milk price it is paying suppliers. It has recently announced milk price increases for May and June, totalling 6.2p per litre, bringing the price to 43.75 pence per litre when assessed via the milkprices. com manufacturing league table.

This will mean Barbers has announced ten milk price increases over the last 22 months which has seen a cumulative price rise of 15.50 pence per litre which equates to an increase of 57%.

As one can appreciate from these staggering statistics, we are definitely living through some extraordinary times which will affect us all in the pocket at home, but this pales into insignificance when compared to the nightmare that is facing the people of Ukraine.

However, in response to this crisis, the Barber family at a personal level and Barbers Cheesemakers are making a serious contribution to the efforts of a West Country-based charity, UK to Ukraine.

It was in a bid to offer support to this refugee crisis that Chris Barber, and local farmers Rupert Nuttall and Ian Hepburn joined with Dorset farmer James Boughey to deliver supplies to the Polish/Ukrainian border.

To date, the charity has funded and delivered a First Aid trailer which included facilities for a field hospital, medical supplies and a second unit to prepare warm food plus 45 generators to provide much needed emergency temporary electricity.

This is in addition to transporting as much food as was possible, including rice, pasta, tinned fruit and other provisions.

The charity plans further visits to the Ukraine border and its latest project is named Victory Gardens which is inspired by the Second World War’s Dig for Victory campaign.

The idea of this initiative is to take seed and tools to central and Western Ukraine to enable Ukrainians to grow their own beetroot, carrot, courgette, cabbage, onion and potatoes in hope of securing a healthy supply of food over the coming months.

If anyone wants to find out more about the UK to Ukraine charity or want to donate towards its various projects please to go the website: www.uktoukraine.co.uk.

■ James Stephen, Carter Jonas