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Andrea Leadsom MP with Paul Parsons, Cllr Charles Manner, Steve Challen and Cllr Martin Johns, Towcester Town Mayor. |
The Tove Benefice has once again launched a huge community effort to help the people of Ukraine. With the help of local resident Paul Parsons, a further £30,000+ has been raised to purchase more medical and humanitarian aid. These supplies were taken to Lviv in two pickups before being separated, with the team taking some aid to Hostomel whilst brave Ukraine volunteers took the remaining aid to the frontline area of Bakhmut where resources are urgently needed. The vehicles were donated by the drivers to remain with the Ukrainians in order to assist with the evacuation of the wounded.
Paul, Oleh Naida a Ukraine guest in Towcester, along with two others took on the long 1350-mile trip to Lviv where they were met by Oleh’s Ukraine volunteer network contact. This is one of three times that the journey has been made in vehicles that are then left for the relief effort to use.
The items they took included 2 generators, 3 power banks, 90 tourniquets, 100 specialist blood clotting gauzes, 150 field trauma bandages, blankets, warm clothing, artic sleeping bags, 200 rations packs, and hundreds of packs of baby food and nappies.
The Tove Benefice has been supporting both the civilians suffering and those who have moved to the UK as guests of families in the area since the very beginning of the war. As well as raising funds, providing support and transporting goods, two events were organised last year in late spring and summer to bring Ukrainians living in the area together and allow them to forge family connections with each other as well as with the local community. There is currently an exhibition of all the work over the last year in St Lawrence’s Church, Towcester.
This is not the final instalment however, and work continues with a new project underway to take further specialist aid along with unwanted medical and mobility items from the UK which can be used in Ukraine. Most items provided by the NHS cannot be returned post treatment or end of life care, so there is a lot of equipment and supplies that can be redeployed to help those affected by the war. This time Paul has enlisted new friends to help with the fundraising and they plan to deliver and donate a further three evacuation vehicles and an ambulance.
If you would like to support or get involved please visit the Tove Benefice website.