On the 1st of March I put out a request to my contacts for donations of aid that we could take to those in Ukraine in a truck we have available. This is now more than filled, in fact, we have pledges to fill several trucks. There's also loads of people unable to make physical donations that want to help, so this fund raising page is to allow for that.

I have contacts in Poland to ensure this all goes to the right place. I would like to make up boxes/packages filled with hope and essentials to help those most in need fleeing the conflict and make them feel human again. My team will get these packed to ship off. We have people to deal with the export docs etc and make this happen.

Our friends in Poland will be taking their own trucks in to Ukraine itself, and they’re in the process of getting the licenses to do this from where they are. It’s starting to sound desperate and like food is running out. We have sorted out a hub for distribution on the safe side of the border, and we are working with the likes of Ukrainian Red Cross to ensure we get supplies to those in most need.

When my children grow up and ask me what I did to help, I’ll able to look them in the eye and tell them. Now I call on all my contacts to share this far and wide to help in anyway they can and make this happen!! If we get more than one truck full - we will get more! All reading this I am sure will be fortunate enough to have somewhere safe to sleep tonight and something to eat – this is for those that now have nothing, so please anyone that can help this effort do support us.

What we will need to go in the aid packages is:

New blankets and new sleeping bags – what blankets people do have got wet.

Tooth brushes, Toothpaste, Shampoo, Hand soap, Disposable razors, sanitary products, paracetamol, ibuprofen, calpol, Antiseptic cream, plasters, bandages

Basic longlife food/snack items - eg. instant noodles, vac packed cooked rice, Baked beans, cup-a-soup, spaghetti hoops, tinned fruit – in fact anything tinned or dried and long life. If it does not need cooking, even better.

Bottled Drinks eg. Water, longlife juice etc

Baby formula, nappies and baby products

Small packs of sweets or chocolate for kids.

Physical donations in at our Garden Centre located in Mascalls Lane, Brentwood, Essex, CM14 5LJ or cash donations here.

list above last updated 05/03/22

LATEST UPDATES 14th March 2022:

Images below show a letter from a thankful town that received the first truck of aid, not far from the besieged city of Kyiv. A translation of the letter, a map to pinpoint the location and an picture of 2 more trucks loading at the weekend with more aid.