AN ANDOVER man is getting ready for his third trip to Poland with food and other essential items for refugees from Ukraine.
Steve Kershaw, from Tangley, has already made two trips to Poland during the Easter holidays and the jubilee weekend, but he doesn’t want to stop.
He will travel again to Lublin in Poland on Sunday with items collected through a donation drive.
In his mission, the 64-year-old has joined hands with Van-Aid, a group of volunteers working together to get humanitarian aid to people in need.
Steve’s wife Ros, who also accompanied him in his second trip, said they were horrified at the atrocities taking place in Ukraine.
“My husband could take no more and decided to take actions in a way that would directly help those in plight, in Ukraine,” Ros said.
Steve holds a HGV licence and approached a number of local transport companies in the hope of gaining sponsorship with funds and a truck to take desperately-needed food and equipment to the border, but his requests fell on deaf ears.
But not one for backing down from a challenge, Steve made links with Van-Aid, an organisation that was formulated in March by a handful of volunteers with transportation and logistics skills.
Ros said the group was absolutely determined to make a difference and take real quantifiable steps to help those in desperate need.
“Van-Aid is very well organised and has a network of Polish and Ukrainian people here in the UK and in their home countries. This, through the dedication of more than 100 driver volunteers, has meant that what has been transported to key strategic points in Poland is the aid that has been exactly requested on the ground. Deliveries are co-ordinated to meet their exact requirements both in goods and time of arrival.”
Steve’s first aid run was over the Easter weekend in April. He travelled to Poland with a collection made in Southampton destined for the Mariupol evacuees safe houses in Warsaw.
He said: “When my friend Chris Beale and I arrived in Warsaw the atmosphere was so intense. They couldn’t speak English and we couldn’t speak the local lingo. But we were made so very welcome with the offering of tea, cake and sandwiches. But above all, pure affection and gratitude for what we were doing.
“Just seeing their faces made it all worthwhile.”
His second trip came about over the jubilee weekend and this time Ros joined him.
“I’d never driven a van over any real distance, certainly not through what would be 2,000 plus miles in Europe,” Ros said.
“Needless to say, you put apprehensions aside and get on with it.
“We delivered the items and arrived back home very late on June 6, having completed a 2,568 miles road trip. For those of you who have not ventured to Poland, do so, it’s a lovely country. And we hope one day to visit Ukraine too.”
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As he prepares for his next trip, Steve is also looking for donations via the Van-Aid website as all volunteers support the mission without any financial support. The group accepts monetary donations to help purchase goods and facilities.
For more information, visit van-aid.co.uk.
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