Update 11th June 2025

We made it!

Pic: Arriving at the Ukraine border

We’d like to thank everyone that made this journey possible.

After about 1200 miles and around 37 hours driving continuously in shifts - with a few hiccups on the way … and getting stopped by police (twice) - we made it to Lviv around 11pm Sunday night, just before curfew.

The first night was somewhat surreal.

When checking into the hotel we were shown the air raid shelter - the hotel basement. Our local guides had live data on aircraft and drones in the area, and they promised to keep us informed. That first night we had 3 air raids - at around 3am, 5am and 9am. The warnings were just like the movies- a loud siren with a vocal warning to find shelter. Fortunately none of the missiles reached where we were, but crazy to think this is an everyday occurrence even in a relatively western part of Ukraine. It must be horrific - and exhausting- to live through constant bombing in eastern Ukraine.

On Monday we spent time walking around the city.

Lviv is a really beautiful city - much was developed in the 1700s -and classically European . If you didn’t know you were in Ukraine, you could easily think you were in Paris, Venice, or Prague.

The churches (Russian Orthodox) were reopened after 1990 and are stunningly beautiful, with paintings and art across ceilings and walls as lovely as many in Italy or France. Inside however, they have windows boarded or taped to protect against blasts. Churches were completely full - people even standing on the street outside due to lack of standing space.

One thing we saw - which was incredibly emotional- was a wall of memorial with the photos of hundreds upon hundreds of men and women that had died in the conflict. It was haunting to see just how similar they were to us - musicians, artists, software engineers- all thrown into the conflict. Even more moving was a wall of children that have lost their fathers in the war.

We then were taken on a tour of the local hospital, and met the director and some senior staff as well as many wounded soldiers. The damage to human bodies was horrific. But what was even more powerful was the intense care and pride the staff took in treating the injuries. One comment was “even when I am tired, how could I do anything other than honour these men that have given everything“.

The need for donated equipment and supplies is huge. Much of the equipment we took was just simple every day consumables - syringes, bags and bandages. The donated ambulances and 4x4 were also badly needed, they are targeted by drones , so often need replacement or repair.

The hospital is really busy - given it’s in a relatively safe part of Ukraine, many refugees have moved there, so the staff are under a lot of pressure in addition to the soldiers needing treatment.

It was so inspiring to see a whole country united and working together in the midst of tragedy. Very sad to see such immense loss of life and casualties. So many people we met had lost someone, or had a missing family member. Our taxi driver shared a video of his son in a dripping wet trench, with no real comforts - just sheer grit and determination to keep going.

After the hospital visit we went to a war cemetery - which only a few years ago was an empty field. Again very moving to see the faces of so many. We saw ages from around 22 to 50. Even while we were there, there was a ceremony to bring flags of another fallen soldier. Each grave is beautifully decorated with flowers and small mementos, just a sea of colour.

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Home & safe... and what's next

We finally flew back on Tuesday after a fortunately quiet night - we found out Kyiv had been relentlessly bombed with drones that night. Good to be home and safe.

Mighty Convoy has now done 15 missions to Ukraine, and as a group we are trying to find even more effective ways to help. One way we're hoping to do this is to source NHS surplus items that would otherwise in many cases be incinerated, and match this to the most needed items in Ukraine.

We also need funds to enable purchase of more vehicles, drivers to get the vehicles to Ukraine, and logistics support to help with storage and distribution.

I am hoping to drive another convoy at some point, and if you’d like to join me please let me know!

Any further funds donated to this page will be continue to be forwarded to Mighty Convoy, and if you need any further information or would like to support further in any way please contact Mighty Convoy through

https://www.mightyconvoy.org/

Thank you again so much for all your support - from us - and from our friends in Ukraine.

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We are seeking to raise £14,000 to buy two ambulances and fill them with donated medical supplies. On the 7th June we will set off to drive them in convoy to Lviv, Ukraine - a journey of 1200 miles. It will take us 2-3 days, and we will then fly home from Poland.

We are four brothers/brothers-in-law. Between us we run an IT firm, sell motorbikes, design motorbike engines, and look after patients with kidney disease.

We were inspired to hear about 'Mighty Convoy' - a small organisation whose sole purpose is to organise and deliver medical aid directly to Ukraine, in collaboration with the International Christian Medical and Dental Association (ICMDA). Volunteers with Mighty Convoy buy up and refurbish ex-NHS ambulances, fill them with donated medical equipment and drive them in convoy to Lviv in western Ukraine - all for just £7000 per ambulance.

In Ukraine, the ambulances are handed over to the Christian Medical Association of Ukraine (CMAU), who have already distributed many vehicles and hundreds of tons of medical supplies: vehicles go to the front line to help evacuate wounded soldiers, supplies go to hospitals across the country which are running critically low on supplies.

Speedy evacuation can be the difference between life and death for critically wounded soldiers. Sadly ambulances are sometimes targeted by drone attacks and are costly for the Ukrainian government to replace.

Find out more about the work of Mighty Convoy here:

An ambitious plan

Thank you

Every donation will make a huge difference. Thank you for anything you can give.