On May 10th this year, Marie-Claire Haines and Richard Pelly, supporting Medical Life Lines Ukraine (MLLU), will be part of a team of ten, driving 5 ambulances to Ukraine. Between us we have to raise at least £14,000 towards buying and refurbishing a used NHS ambulance and stocking it with essential supplies. All personal travel costs are, of course, funded by the drivers themselves.

We are delighted to say that, after a month of fund-raising, we have already achieved our minimum target thanks to some very generous donations. We have therefore decided to increase our target fund-raise to £24,000 in order to finance some vital equipment that we will transport in our ambulance. This could include a Skin Graft machine (Dermatome) as well as a generator.

MLLU has so far delivered 120 aid-filled ambulances and emergency services vehicles to Ukraine along with 25 generators and one all-terrain rescue crane since Putin's illegal full-blown invasion. This work has saved countless lives and - perhaps more importantly - shown the people of Ukraine that a huge number of people in the outside world are acutely aware of their plight and keen to help them in whatever way that they can. You will know from reports this winter that demand for humanitarian aid, civil defence support and medical supplies is unrelenting.

The MLLU fund raising effort is hosted by Ukraine Charity, which was established in the UK by volunteers in 2007 to support disadvantaged children and young adults in Ukraine. Since full-scale Russia`s invasion in February 2022, Ukraine Charity (RCN 1163036) www.ukrainecharity.org is also fundraising for emergency medical supplies to be delivered to Ukraine.

Important: you can use GiftAid if you're a UK taxpayer, which will be added to your donation!