Mid Argyll doubles down for Ukraine
Two crucial consignments of aid for the people of Ukraine left Lochgilphead this week following a mammoth effort by volunteers from throughout Mid Argyll.
Approximately 150 boxes filled with prioritised humanitarian aid were collected from the Mail Box in Lochgilphead this week and are now making their way to Ukraine.
The mercy mission is being made by two men from Oban who returned recently from delivering aid to the war-torn country. Oban businessman Willie Bonniwell and co-driver Alan MacDougall distributed insulin, medical supplies and other priority aid on their last trip and now will be transporting medical supplies, military kit, dried and tinned food, baby food, torches, and other essentials donated by the generous people and businesses of Mid Argyll, Kintyre and the islands and Oban areas.
In addition to driving his Iveco Hi-Top loaded with precious cargo across the Slovakian-Ukrainian border, Willie will hand over the keys of his van to the distribution team on the ground.
The donated van will then be used extensively for transporting aid throughout Ukraine and Willie and Alan will return home with another Oban volunteer aid driver, clam-diver Dirk Campbell, who is taking a second aid vehicle out.
A Go Fund Me page to help with travel and fuel costs stood at £6,000 at the time of departure.
When asked why he embarked on a second mission, Willie said: ‘You see what’s going on out there and you just want to help. I just want to get the aid out there safely.’
Willie’s words were echoed by a Lochgilphead nurse with a similar desire to make a real difference for the people whose lives have been blighted by the Russian invasion.
Marta Skuza has family working in a Polish school just outside Warsaw that is now home to approximately 50 children who fled the conflict in Ukraine. Marta contacted the Lochgilphead and Surrounding Area Helps
‘You see what’s going on out there and you just want to help.’
Ukraine group and together they assembled aid packages which were mainly supported by donations and an online wishlist.
Thanks to the combined efforts of the Lochgilphead team these youngsters at the Szkolno-Przedszkolny Piaseczno will each be receiving a colourful backpack filled with personalised items, drawings, messages and lots of treats.
The responsibility of delivering the brightly coloured bags to the children falls to Sam Hicks from Portmahomack, the group’s volunteer driver, who will also drop off supplies to a centre that supports Ukrainian women living in Poland. This is Sam’s second mercy mission and he will be joined on the journey by Wyatt Noakes from Aberdeen. On the return journey Sam will transport several refugees, and a dog, back to the UK where they will be met by their host families from Ayrshire and England. Sam has so far raised £1,645 to help with the trip through his ‘Go Fund Me’ page entitled ‘Donations for Ukraine’, which is still open for anyone wanting to help him on his way. In addition, thanks to local community donations Sam’s travel fund was boosted with an additional £500 towards the cost of fuel, ferry fares, and accommodation.
Co-ordinator of the appeal group Lochgilphead and Surrounding Area Helps Ukraine Amanda Duffy Brown said: ‘We are humbled by everyone’s generosity. It is overwhelming to know that all these donations will be arriving in Ukraine later this week, and we know they will really make a difference.’
The Mail Box in Lochgilphead is the central distribution centre for Argyll and Bute, where all the donated aid is stored, packed and labelled ready for dispatch.