Heroic mum enters Ukraine war zone on unique mission
Ardfern aid worker Angie Bird is delivering pop-up pizza in Ukraine, writes Kathie Griffiths.
The mum-of-two is due to fly out this week to join volunteers for two weeks travelling around danger zones in mobile kitchens in a bid to serve up some joy and relief to communities ripped apart by war.
Serving up surprise pizza from trucks fitted out with woodfired ovens is just part of Angie’s mission with small Scottish charity Siobhan’s Trust, which was set up in 2020.
She has also packed face-paints and festival glitter so she can add an extra topping of fun to the project for children and grownups caught up in the conflict.
At the weekend, supporters and friends of Angie’s raised £1,500 at a coffee morning at Craignish Village Hall for the charity. She has paid for her own travel and expenses.
Angie, whose day job is working for a national domestic abuse helpline, explained: “This charity goes into some places that non-governmental organisations deem too dangerous. As a volunteer you get to say how comfortable you are with that and if you’d rather go to the west or the east. I’ve said I’ll go where I’m most needed.
“Because of security risks, we don’t announce where we are planning to turn up, we just appear and bring good food, a bit of relief and support work with us. We know we are never going to be able to just swoop in and completely change lives all in one go but we can give them a bit of joy and hope.
“This is the first time I’ve gone on an international humanitarian trip. I’m swinging between being really terrified and being really excited.”
As well as being busy bringing up her daughters and work, Angie is also involved in a Save The Children project and hopes the Ukraine experience will help give her more opportunities in similar roles when she returns to the UK.
She explained: “I’ve told my girls in an age-appropriate way what I’ll be doing in the Ukraine. They know about the war. When I explained it to my youngest that there were some people and children out there feeling scared, with little or no electricity, food and money and not able to get away - she told me: ‘You better go and help them then.
“I’m going to miss them lots. I’ve never been on a plane without them. They are my biggest fans. They’ve been so encouraging.”
Siobhan’s Trust can feed up to 4,000 refugees everyday from its six mobile kitchens venturing out from its bases in Lviv and Zaporizhzhia.
Readers can make a donation to the charity via www.justgiving. com/page/angie-bird.