One Rotarian will be leaving his home in Norfolk to make the journey all the way to Poland in order to deliver essential aid to those displaced by the conflict in Ukraine.
Andy Kerr of King’s Lynn Rotary Club, along with horticulturalist Malcom Catlin, will be driving 1,100 miles to Poland’s border with Ukraine to help the families escaping the war.
The pair are currently heading over with items such as sleeping bags, warm coats, blankets, nappies, toilettes, sanitary items, first aid kits, torches and power-banks.
We hope to get aid to people and make sure we engage as quickly as possible to get a family picked up, and then get back and do another run.”
Speaking to the Eastern Daily Press, Andy affirmed that he and Malcom are willing to travel wherever help is needed and that they hope to be on the border as soon as they can be.
He said: “We have had tremendous support from local people and from King’s Lynn Rotary Club and its partner club Emmerich-Rees club in Germany.
“We’re extremely thankful, the car is packed to the gunwales and had a roof box fitted.”
The Rotary Club of King’s Lynn has donated £600 and our twin club in Germany, the Rotary Club of Emmerich-Rees, has donated 500 Euros towards the costs. Malcolm and Andy have also dug deep in to their own pockets.
Speaking on their hopes for the trip, Malcom said: “We hope to get aid to people and make sure we engage as quickly as possible to get a family picked up, and then get back and do another run.”
If you wish to help Andy and Malcom get vital supplies for their next trip, you can still donate to their crowdfunder page.
We have had tremendous support from local people and from King’s Lynn Rotary Club and its partner club Emmerich-Rees club in Germany.”
King’s Lynn Rotary are far from the only Rotary club having aid driven to Ukraine. In a perfect display of how successfully Rotary can partner with other businesses, Highdown Rotary recently collaborated with Apple Van Hire and Medi Tech Trust to deliver medical services to those affected to conflict in Ukraine.
Boxes and boxes of medical supplies were placed onto a van and taken to Bridgwater to join the 22,000 medical items that are set to be put on a Rotary lorry that is heading for Ukraine.
The Rotary Club of Margate have also lent a helping hand, with Rotarian Peter Arnold having set off for Ukraine with a van full of supplies collected by the club. The van also contained much-needed pet items that were collected by the wonderful people at Quex Barn before being given to the club.
Read this article if you want to see what else Rotary clubs around the UK and Ireland have been doing to provide help for those affected by the conflict in Ukraine.
