Callington Lions are once again appealing for donations for Ukraine after roaring into action with a mercy mission to the Polish border – taking 17 vanloads of help to the Polish border.

The Lions joined forces with Darren Tait of Darren’s Cars in St Ann’s Chapel and his ‘Sending Love to Ukraine’ team to make the journey recently.

It followed an earlier trip delivering humanitarian aid to the Polish border in April this year.

Five Callington Lion members – Emma and Andy Burnard and Jamie, Helen and Thomas Dowdall – joined Darren and his team in a convoy of 17 vans on a 2,500 mile journey from the UK to Warsaw in Poland across six countries.

Their mission saw them carrying generous donations collected over many weeks from West Devon and East Cornwall communities.

The 17 vans were packed to the roof with ‘Teddies to Take Away Tears’ – bags of love filled with essential items for children to help take their minds off the terrible things they have recently endured.

In addition, the vans carried medical first aid for frontline use, mattresses, Lions wheelchairs, zimmer frames, medical supplies, sanitary products, pet food and an extensive range of other items. One of the vans completely full of nappies was known as the ‘Pampers Van’.

The trip was not without some problems – four vehicles had electrical or mechanical issues and one van had to be left in Poland for repair, with the owner flying out a week later to collect it and drive it back to the UK.

Lions president Jamie Dowdall said he welcomed the opportunity of being able to assist the Ukrainians.

The Lions are now collecting donations, for the next convoy trip, a smaller one this time, which will leave the area on Wednesday, July 20, again organised by Darren Tait of Sending Love to Ukraine.

Callington Lion Jamie said that supplies of essential humanitarian aid are desperately needed; donations and aid are becoming more difficult to get whilst the situation in Ukraine is worsening.

If anybody would like to donate money towards the costs of the trips or donate items, they are urged to go to the Callington Lions website to check out what is most needed.

Darren Tait said the next trip would be a smaller one, but with the intention of bringing back some refugees.

‘This convoy will consist of six vans, heading off from Kelly Bray. That’s all the aid we have this time as the cost of living crisis here is slowing things down but people have already given very generously.’

‘If anyone would like to donate, once again, we are looking for the same items, mostly sanitary products such as tampons, baby food, nappies, medication, sleeping bags – all things people fleeing a war zone would need.

‘We are planning to bring refugees back too. On the last trip we took a 17 seater minibus from Callington charity ‘Battling On’ and we have two eight-seaters and an 18-seater this time.

We will be bringing back more refugess hopefully this time. It’s difficult though to fill the spaces but you never know until you get to Warsaw on the number we can bring back.

‘Last time we brough back 12 refugees, two cats and a dog last time – it’s not just people!’