Father and daughter complete aid mission
The two charity workers are safely back at home after delivering essential items to refugees in Ukraine and Romania donated by Portsmouth and Gosport residents
TWO GOSPORT family members from Jacob’s Well Care Centre have returned safely to the UK after they provided essential aid to Ukrainian refugees.
Gosport charity workers Stuart Pottinger, 74, and his daughter Lorraine Pottinger, 51, returned to the UK on April 2, after delivering essential items to refugees of the wartorn country.
The father-daughter duo transported four artic lorries and three vans full of aid collected by Portsmouth and Gosport residents to refugees in Ukraine and Romania.
Stuart and Angela Pottinger originally set up Jacob's Well Care Centre in 1992 to provide free furniture to those in need in Gosport, and today it runs various community projects.
Stuart and Lorraine set off on March 28 and returned to the UK five days later, having visited churches and refugee shelters in Ukraine, which have opened their doors to those fleeing the conflict.
Lorraine, who has recently taken the reins of the family charity, said: ‘The trip to Ukraine was definitely an eye opener and we are very glad we went.
‘We met some amazing church leaders who have opened up their churches for refugees.’
The pair brought the aid collected by local residents to a Baptist Church in Sighet, Romania and worked with them to help distribute it to four churches and various homes housing ‘desperate families.’
‘They have people everywhere cooking, sleeping, cleaning,’ she added.
‘There were tears and sadness, but overall great relief to be in a safe, for now, homely environment where they could rest and recover.’