AID To UKRAINE

RNA has established a partnership with Cornwall & Devon – Sending Love to Ukraine.

The journey began with the collection of the rental van, covering a total distance of 2,464 miles from Callington at the Cornwall & Devon – Sending Love to Ukraine depot. The route traversed France, Belgium, the Netherlands, and concluded at the Warsaw collection hub in Poland.

During the trip, an additional visit was made to a school near Warsaw educating approximately 220 Ukrainian children, including orphans. Despite favourable weather conditions, several noteworthy incidents occurred. Van 4, driven by my brother Simon and myself, underwent customs inspections on four occasions, including being flagged down by a mobile custom car at the Poland-Germany border. – we obviously looked dodgy. At one point three Polish armoured tanks integrated with our convoy , thankfully for just a mile or two!

The convoy paused at Checkpoint Alpha, preserved in its original condition as a historical crossing between East and West Germany. Polish roads proved to be efficient, albeit with minor toll fees and a remarkable volume of HGV traffic.

Convoy 36 consisted of five vans and one Range Rover.

Friday, 28th November: Vans were loaded and weighed at the Callington warehouse.

[45 miles] – Rotary vans proceeded to Maidstone for an overnight stop, located 45 minutes from the ferry terminal.

Saturday, 29th November:

The convoy assembled near Dover ferry port before boarding the 10:00 am ferry to Dunkirk, then continued through France, Belgium, and the Netherlands with an overnight stay in Duisburg, Germany. [235 miles]

Sunday, 30th November:

A full day’s drive took the convoy across Germany into Poland, culminating at a base hotel in Poznan for two nights. [508 miles]

Monday, 1st December:

Delivery Day involved distributing aid—medical and hygiene supplies, sleeping bags, blankets, a mobility scooter, 354 chocolate selection boxes, and 600 packets of paracetamol—to the Warsaw aid depot. [205 miles]

The team was welcomed by eight Ukrainian volunteers who managed a section of the warehouse, palletising donations for further transport to Kyiv, where items are distributed according to need. Recipients sometimes arrive by car or van to collect specific supplies. For example, the convoy leader Darren facilitated the delivery of a blood testing machine requested by a hospital in Kyiv.

Volunteer drivers felt humbled by the dedication and perseverance demonstrated by Ukrainian volunteers, particularly one individual known as ‘W’, who coordinated packing after being discharged from the army due to injuries sustained in service.

An invitation was extended to visit a school for Ukrainian children, located 30 minutes away. Two students, aged 13 and 14, gave an impressive piano performance in preparation for an international competition in London. The volunteers enjoyed a traditional Ukrainian meal, folk dance, and received mementos and certificates of thanks from St. Nicholas! .

Fifty chocolate selection boxes were reserved and presented to the students.

The return journey, while extensive, was less stressful, and the group enjoyed shared evenings with early rest observed by most participants.

On the final day, Wednesday, 3rd December, the Rotary vans opted to visit the Dunkirk Museum instead of departing for an early ferry. The museum's exhibits prompted reflection on historical responses leading up to World War II and their relevance to current events, though further discussion on such matters is left to others.