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Matthew Bates raised £25,707.23 from 502 supporters
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Closed 20/07/2022
Iʼve raised £25,707 to Support territorial forces & refugees in Ukraine. We're in the top 1% of fund raisers. Practical help direct to those who need it most.
- Bradford on Avon, Wiltshire
- Funded on Wednesday, 20th July 2022
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Story
*** UPDATE | We're in the top 1% of ALL Just Giving campaigns and delivering real help to brave soldiers and refugees in need. We've delivered two vehicles, body armour and specific supplies requested by a refugee centres in Mykolaiv. One of the vehicles we have sent has been destroyed by a Russian mine. Two men were killed and two injured. We're going to help their families and buy more vehicles and kit. Can you help? ***
We've built Blake & Bull patiently in our peaceful corner of England. Seeing the destruction wrought in Ukraine by Russian forces is appalling. There are many ways to help, we've found a very direct route to do so.
My friend Dr Daria Mattingly received her Ph.D from Cambridge University, lives in our lovely town of Bradford on Avon and is a Ukrainian from Kyiv. Daria has friends and family all over Ukraine and in Kyiv, she knows what they need and how we get it to them. It's the Territorial Army who need the most support. These are civilians, including friends of Daria, recently pressed into military service.
The chap in the main picture? He graduated Kyiv Shevchenko University with Daria and was, until very recently, a civil servant. He is a father of two in remission from lymphoma. Now he finds himself on the frontline with a uniform and a rifle.
We'll be buying, with your help, what he and his unit need but cannot source locally or in Poland. This will include (but is not limited to) radio equipment, body armour, medical supplies and specialist clothing. The most urgent requirement right now is for vehicles for mobility and medical evacuation.
Why donate here?
We've donated £3000 of company funds directly already, matching the first £3000 of donations. Our success has been a welcome surprise though and we've gone far beyond this. Every person at Blake & Bull has contributed in some form though and we'll continue to do this at no charge to the campaign. From our customer happiness team taking phone donations to fabrication team making parts for the vehicles donated we are happy to help.
Our effort is completely transparent with every item of expenditure publicly recorded by Blake & Bull's Finance Director . We update regularly on the purchases and shipments we make.
If peace comes to Ukraine soon, and we hope it does, we'll redirect our spending to items useful for rebuilding and supporting normal and happy life in Ukraine.
I hope you can help. Matthew, Blake & Bull founder.
Updates
6
- 2 years ago
Matthew Bates
2 years agoI'm afraid todays update is to let you know that a few days ago the first vehicle we sent to Ukraine was destroyed by a Russian landmine. Of the 4 men in the truck at the time 2 were killed outright and 2 were injured. Anton, our contact in the unit, was not among the killed or wounded. We'll support the families of the killed and injured men directly. We'd like to replace the vehicle destroyed and deliver it, along with as many other life saving supplies, as soon as possible. Can you help? Read my full update at blakebull.link/ukraine6
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- 3 years ago
Matthew Bates
3 years agoEarly last week the second vehicle, a red Mitsubishi Shogun 4x4, purchased with your generous donations arrived in Ukraine! Read my latest update here... https://blakebull.link/update5
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- 3 years ago
Matthew Bates
3 years agoThanks to YOUR generosity we delivered one 4x4, 2 sets of body armour, 1 helmet, 40kg of infant milk formula, 1500 nappies & 5000 wet wipes. Next week we go again with another vehicle and the exact things that the shelter in Mykolaiv needs. Adult sanitary pads, medical gauze and wet wipes. Can you spare a few more pounds to help us buy those? Read my full update at blakebull.link/update4 Thank you!
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Matthew Bates started crowdfunding
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Supporters
502
Shirley Gale La Casa Loco
Jul 5, 2022
Love La Casa Loco and her customers
£149.00
The Son of a WWII Refugee of Latvia
Jul 4, 2022
Thank you. All the best to those of Ukraine and any oppressed by Putin's "leadership".
£50.00
Shirley Gale La Casa Loco
Jun 29, 2022
With Love La Casa Loco and her customers
£146.00
Shirley Gale La Casa Loco
Jun 19, 2022
With love La Casa Loco and her customers
£156.00
Jake
Jun 18, 2022
£20.00
Anonymous
Jun 17, 2022
Just so sad all you can do is try again
Serena
Jun 17, 2022
Good luck you are doing very inspiring work
£50.00
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Matthew Bates
Bradford on Avon, Wiltshire
I'm the founder of Blake & Bull, a husband and a father. I was fortunate to be born in the beautiful, peaceful, well protected and tolerant country that is the United Kingdom. I can't bear to see a fellow European country dragged back into war and destruction. I want to help.