A Gunnislake pub will be holding a fundraising event in April for Colin Clarke’s Van for Life which sets off to Poland today (March 31).

The Rising Sun pub will be holding an all-day event on April 9 complete with raffle, jumble sale, face painting, live music from band The Craving, and a pasty eating competition.

Billy Harris, the pub’s landlord, said: ‘Colin often comes in. It’s a worthy cause and it’s very important at the moment. It’s got a lot of support from everyone.’

As part of the event, the pub will auction off a five kilo pasty, courtesy of the Original Pasty House, in a raffle and the winner will be challenged to eat it within 40 minutes. If they can complete the challenge, they will win an extra prize.

It is also hoped that Colin will have returned from his mission in time to attend the fundraiser.

The idea for the fundraiser was sparked by a recent visit to the pub by Colin who founded the Van for Life scheme after a trip to Poland to deliver essential goods to a Warsaw refugee camp.

Colin and his co-driver were so struck by the need to help Ukrainian refugees reach safety they decided to do more to help.

On his return to Britain, Colin set up the scheme which will see him drive to Poland with a 17-seater van to transport Ukrainian refugee families to safe homes across Europe.

He plans to leave the van at the refugee camp for other volunteers to use and continue to transport the ever-growing number of Ukrainians crossing the border to safe homes.

To donate to Colin’s Van for Life scheme, visit www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/colin-clarke-43.