A VOLUNTEER who helped transport humanitarian aid collected at Melksham Town Hall to refugees arriving in Poland has described his experiences of travelling across Europe.
Melksham Town Council had such an overwhelming response to their appeal for donations to send to Poland to support Ukrainian refugees, that they filled up the Town Hall three times. Donations were packed up and sent over to Daykins Estate in Westbury, who then (with the help from volunteers) packed up and drove the items 1,100 miles across Europe to the Volunteer Centre Association in Lublin, Poland.
A volunteer driver, Pete Sanders, who helped drive the first truck across Europe said, “As the drivers headed away from their families and towards the Ukrainian border, it soon became evident the scale of the number of refugees fleeing the war and the increased military presence. There was bus after bus of exhausted women and children being taken to places of safety within Poland.
“The drivers arrived in Poland on Thursday 17th where they were met by a local charity and were escorted to the delivery point. It was freezing conditions at –10 degrees, but the unloading commenced and the vital aid was transferred over, ready for distribution to those in need.
“After unloading, I spoke to a woman, Sophia, who normally processes the refugees over the border. The situation she described was devastating; she explained how earlier that day, a Ukrainian father arrived at the border with his two young children, giving them one last hug before passing them over to officials with nothing more than their passports and a phone number in hand. The last image of their father, through their tears, was him driving back across the border, back into the country he loves, to defend its freedom.”
Over the last couple of weeks, Daykin Estates have instigated the delivery of over 100 tonnes of critical humanitarian aid within 20 miles of the Ukrainian/Polish border, all thanks to donations from people at the collection points in Melksham, Westbury, Frome and Trowbridge.
Pete added, “After spending the night within 20 miles of the border, we made the journey back to the UK with a different perspective and a sombre feeling, knowing we were leaving people who had lost everything. Europe is experiencing its biggest influx of refugees since WW2, so the help we have received so far has really made a difference.”
