November 19th, 2024
In this event report, our newsletter editor Frances Lloyd recounts Paul’s inspiring talk about his courageous work to help people in Ukraine.
Since the invasion of Ukraine by Russia in 2022, Paul has been going in and out of the country taking humanitarian assistance from the UK to support local communities. This is mostly on his own, but he also works with other charities and individuals. He is just back from his 24th trip. These trips each cost between £500 and £600.
Paul showed us a video of him delivering aid in Kharkiv with background noise of alarms going off which he said is “the backdrop every day and night”. He showed us a map of Ukraine, which is the second largest European country in area after Russia, and has a population of 44 million. The map showed which parts of Ukraine Russia has occupied. 3.7 million people have been driven from their homes and many are refugees in their own country. 14.6 million people needed humanitarian assistance in 2024. The big cities are attacked every week if not daily. Paul started by working with Eden Aid, a charity hooking up Ukrainians with sponsors in the UK. He told us Dania’s story who was in Kyiv with her two children and a dog waiting to get to the UK. He drove over and picked them up. She was horrified at the destruction she saw 15-20 minutes away from her home. By the time they arrived in Poland she started to relax. She is now living in Church Stretton sponsored by a person in the Wirral and has her own home, a job and the children are in school.
Paul knows a garage in Kharkiv which collects damaged vehicles and repairs them. He showed a video of them taking a truck to do this. It took 3 days to get there. They took it in turns to drive and had a bed in the back of the truck. Kharkiv is 20 miles from the Russian front.
Another story was about Volodmyr, who Paul was asked to go and pick up. Volodmyr had throat cancer and Paul took him to Warsaw. Volodmyr was then taken onto Denmark for treatment and is now well.
Paul has worked with Konstrantin for two years. Konstrantin owns a small garage and helps to keep military vehicles and ambulances on the road. He and other volunteers do this for free. Paul loooked around the workshop at the garage and saw that the tools etc. were in a very bad state. He raised money for a generator, tools and equipment.
Paul then told us Sergey’s story. In 2014, Sergey was living a normal life but was then shot in the shoulder. He recovered but then in the recent fighting he had his leg blown off. Paul first met him and his friends in Warsaw. There were nine young guys waiting there to go out to Philadelphia for new limbs. Paul showed us a video of them leaving Ukraine. Thousands of people will be left without limbs. Paul visited an amputee rehabilitation centre where there were problems with electricity. He found and bought a generator. In April 2023 Sergey told Paul they needed a vehicle and Paul had a car donated to him which is used to take people to hospital for appointments. Paul took Sergey to see where his fallen comrades are North of Kyiv.
Paul worked with a charity in Macclesfield which was donating three cars and he went with them. He showed us a video of the vehicles being handed over.
What donations does he take out? Generators make a massive difference with 50% of the country having no electricity at any one time. Pet food – 6.5 million people have left Ukraine and there are lots of stray dogs who have been left behind. Shelters have been set up and Paul did one run of pet food. Medical supplies – tourniquets, dressings etc. Paul showed a video of a medic working on the front-line thanking donors for supplies that have been sent out.
Paul talked about the generosity of people in the UK. He said that money given to him by the Millichopes (in Shropshire) purchased a 4×4 vehicle, medical supplies, solar panels, etc. An English library is being set up for children in Ukraine and we saw a video of Alex from Church Stretton collecting books and the children in Ukraine receiving them. Paul talked about Nina who has set up a charity in Zaporizhia. He said she is incredibly brave, often going to the border between Ukraine and Russia, which is so dangerous. She needed another vehicle and Paul was given one for her. He organised to give a chainsaw to a village – a supply of wood can be lifesaving. When a dam was blown up and 18,000 people and 180 square miles were affected, Paul went out to help sort out the water supply. Paul also works with the Hopeful charity who go to towns and villages to cook and hand out pizzas. It helps communities who often don’t see anyone. He showed us pictures of a truck park where they had parked, and a week later it came under attack from cruise missiles. Also a video of bottled water being delivered.
Paul told us what they need in the terms of donations, which are:
- Pain killers (including Paracetamol and Ibuprofen)
- Medical supplies including prescription medicines
- Bandages
- Any ‘over the counter’ medicines
- Hygiene products
- Nappies
- Generators
- Chainsaws
- Outdoor winter clothing – something you would be happy walking in on the Long Mynd in the rain
- Sleeping bags
Frances can get these to Paul and is happy to collect them from Ludlow and surrounding areas. Frances can be reached at: franceslloyd7@gmail.com
Financial donations can be made at www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/StrettonsSupportingUkraine
Paul’s talk was inspiring and gave us a different perspective of the war from the one we normally get from the news. It was all about the impact on people’s lives and their communities. It also gave us an insight into the work of humanitarian aid workers who are incredibly brave and committed to the work they’re doing. Paul was going out to Ukraine a couple of weeks after his talk – his 25th trip.