Ukraine Spring Aid Drive 2024
As air alarms sounded across Ukraine Sunday 24th March, the drivers from the Towcester Tove Benefice set off on their 1350 mile drive to Lviv as part of their latest aid delivery. The ambulance they were taking was to be donated to a frontline paramedic team in Mykolaiv, and its incrediblly helpful donated contents passed to hospitals and rehabilitation centres for those injured as a result of the ongoing illegal invasion and war in Ukraine. In addition to this ambulance, the team have worked with other local organisations to help deliver a significant number of items donated by West Northants Council, having been unable to repurpose from the recent closure of Ridgeway House in Towcester, thus supporting those in great need in Ukraine and reducing potential wastage.
During their brief stay in Lviv, the team handed over the ambulance and its contents to their volunteer contacts and had an extremely moving day hosted by volunteers Iryna Vovk and Yuliya Stadnytska visiting the largest refuge centre in Lviv which helps those who have been displaced from frontline areas, a rehabilitation centre for those needing prosthetics, and volunteers making camouflage netting. They also revisited the Lviv military cemetery which had sadly almost doubled in size since their visit last June. One of the most poignant moments was meeting Sergiy, a commander who lost his arm as a result of a mine explosion, and hearing that he had to self rescue 4km through mud and water before reaching medical help. Amazingly the ambulance the Tove team donated in June may have been the one that helped save Sergiy, as it was donated to frontline paramedics working in Dnipro.
In addition to the donation of aid items, The Tove Team donated £2000 to Yuliya from the Lviv based charitable organisation, Metta. Metta organise wilderness based psychotherapy trips for veterans and bereaved families.
If you would like to see and hear more about this latest trip and the incredible support that has been given locally, please do invite Steve to come and talk to your friends or Group about this inspirational work.
Any further donations received will go to help support the work of the teams visited in Lviv.
Please click here or on the following link or scan the QR Code.
https://www.justgiving.com/cro
Steve Challen
