Charity aims to take 200 farm vehicles to Ukraine

• Pick-up trucks donated by farmers

• Volunteers drive 4WDs to Ukraine

• Charity asks for more help

UK farmers who have driven and delivered more than 100 donated four-wheel drive vehicles to Ukraine – are now doubling their efforts to send 100 more.

The Pick-ups For Peace initiative originally set out to provide 100 vehicles, but thanks to the generosity of the British farming community, the group is confident that it can double that target to 200.

Forty-five vehicles were delivered over two trips to Ukraine, with the 100 target passed last month. A fundraising target of £100,000 is also being doubled to cover the cost of transporting the vehicles and bringing volunteer drivers back home.

As well as individual and group donations – and offers to drive the trucks to Ukraine – corporate donations have been received. These include a quad bike and 10 generators from Springfield Properties, and four vehicles from Trinity Grain.

Saving lives

Pick-ups for Peace co-founder Vince Gillingham has just returned from delivering the latest cohort of vehicles to Lviv. One consignment included two vans which were converted into ambulances by paramedics at a Suffolk charity, he said.

“The war won’t wait, and we must do everything we can to help our friends in Ukraine. We are agonisingly motivated to double our original target of 100 vehicles because Ukraine will take as many vehicles as we can send.”

Mr Gillingham said Ukrianian soldiers and their families continued to be overwhelmed by the generosity of all those who had given time, money, vehicles and urgent supplies for use to transport to the west of the country.

“The pick-ups we’ve delivered have already and continue to save countless lives as they transport injured troops from the frontline and ferry generators and food to those who need them, including hospitals.

“The vehicles must drive extremely fast over rough ground and under constant bombardment. This is a humanitarian call. Please help.”

Volunteer driver Nicola Alexander, who took part in the most recent trip, said: “I just wanted to help in any way I could. I had been sorting out supplies for the first trip at a local depot wanted to do more.

“I feel so privileged to have taken part. Some of the soldiers we met in Ukraine were farmers like us; that is, until the war began.

“Hearing their stories of huge loss – of homes, friends, their children’s friends, and seeing the ever-growing burial site in Lviv, with newly-dug graves and their accompanying photos was so, so sad.

“There were miles and miles of vehicles leaving the country and you could see the sadness in the occupants’ faces; it completely took my mind off myself and my own problems and made me think about what’s going on in the world.”

How to get involved:

The Pick-ups For Peace charity is looking for four-wheel drive vehicles to take to Ukraine – but there are other ways of helping.

Donated vehicles can be up to 15 years old. They need a valid MOT certificate and good tyres. The group is also seeking donations of other urgent supplies, including quad bikes and dirt bikes, winter clothes, tarpaulins, spades, screen wash, diesel cans, jump leads, ratchet straps, spare fan belts and generators.

Also needed are tow slings, first aid kits, dry food goods, spare tyres, night vision equipment, spare batteries, old phones and cable ties of all sizes.

For further details, please email  pickupsforpeace@memus.com or search for Pick-Ups for Peace at: Crowdfunding to Support Ukraine’s Aid Effort on JustGiving