Page 50 - Phonebox Magazine June 2024

OLNEY UKRAINE AID NEWS
Last month Phonebox Magazine told how a convoy of 4x4 vehicles and their volunteer drivers left Yardley Hastings bound for Ukraine, loaded with supplies including 200 cakes and 1,400 flapjack slices, all baked by local people.
There was a big reception for the convoy when it arrived as the Ukrainian people were desperate for all the 4x4 vehicles and two quad bikes that had been taken, as well as all the food and aid that the trucks contained. Here are driver Nick Redmayne’s notes, together with some images from Lviv:
DAYONE Thismorningten4x4sand20volunteerdrivershittheroad, tackling the first leg of a journey across Europe to western Ukraine. Vehicles varied from shiny, bright and beautiful to those that proudly wore a characterful finish, and possibly a few dents, after years of work. All were rugged and reliable, just like the drivers.
After a brief bureaucratic wrangle at the UK border, everyone was on their way. Mixed loads included medical supplies, mechanical spares, tyres, and 600kg of fruit cake – sliced to provide a quick and easy calorie-rich boost when and where it’s needed most.
Driving through four countries in one day – the UK, France, Belgium, and the Netherlands – was not a pleasure trip. However, that’s not to say the experience wasn’t pleasurable. The spirit among the team was buoyed
by the shared knowledge that together the cars and supplies will make a difference.
Tonight, teams stayed at a former monastery near the German border. Tomorrow’s destination is ‘somewhere’ in Poland. For the record, in Ukraine vehicles in service last on average around a month, due to the extreme rigours of the environment. The need for future convoys endures.
DAYTWO DrivingeastacrossGermany,leavingBerlinbehind,traffic starts to include a scattering of Ukraine number plates. We weave across the busy lanes of traffic and are met by smiles and thumbs-ups.
The convoy passes two HGVs hauling khaki green containers marked with red crosses. The HGV drivers honk their horns in solidarity. It’s a strange moment, initially light-hearted and then unexpectedly, it releases a surge of emotion. There’s no doubt where the medical supplies are headed. After almost 1000 kilometres and 12 hours on the road, the beautiful Old Town centre of Poland’s Wroclaw is a welcome sight. While parking our sticker-emblazoned cars, a woman presses €40 into our hands.
‘You’re going to Ukraine. Here, take for petrol. I am from Ukraine.’ We are all profoundly humbled.
Tomorrow’s destination is Ukraine, crossing the frontier to the city of Lviv and its wide and leafy springtime boulevards. It’s possible to forget, but driving serves as a reminder. Russia’s war against Ukraine is a European war, and it’s really not that far away.
“Thank you to everyone who helped in this initiative,” says organiser Susan Bailey. “Although we are not at war, Eastern Ukraine is our undeclared front line. Each slice of fruitcake and flapjack, energy bar and drink, sends a personal message of sympathy and support to people who may sacrifice their lives.”
SPRING CONCERT FOR UKRAINE
Organisers of the recent Spring Concert for Ukraine are delighted to announce that the event raised more than £4,200 for vital causes. The money will be split between the BAMK and DEC Ukraine charities.
The event, at Olney’s St Peter & St Paul Church, included music from film and TV along with more traditional Ukrainian and British songs.
50 Phonebox Magazine | June 2024