a RENOWNED Callington volunteer is preparing to send more help to the Ukraine, with two more aid convoys planned for February and March.

Darren Tait, of Darren’s Cars in Callington, first decided to take action and deliver aid to Ukraine late last February, when the Russian invasion of the country began.

Darren said: ‘After seeing horrifying images on TV coming out of Ukraine, I wanted to do something to help. I spoke with my wife and, whilst she was supportive, she said “think carefully, it’s a long way and you don’t know what you’ll encounter”. I put the word out straight away and the phone started ringing first thing the next morning. I knew it was a long way to travel but I was instantly overwhelmed by the support our plans were receiving.’

Within six days, Darren had nine vans laden with food, clothing and medical supplies heading off to the Ukraine from his base in St Ann’s Chapel on March 7 2022.

Darren said: ‘People at the border thanked us and wished us the best of luck which was really nice. They informed us that we were the first ones to go across with aid that they had encountered. People were supporting us on the road; we even had people buying bumper stickers from us that we had made in the queue at Dover.’

Darren and now the Lions Clubs of Callington and Tavistock have made eight trips to deliver aid since last year, with a total of 83 vans (averaging seven or eight each time) and one ambulance carrying at least 145 tonnes of donations.

The next trip is scheduled for Thursday, February 2 and will be setting off once again from Darren’s Cars in St Ann’s Chapel at 3am.

Darren said: ‘Once you’ve been out there, met people in Warsaw ready to take goods further on and you see them going to those who need them, and in turn, see the effect of everyone’s help — how can you not keep going? We get sent in a lot of images and videos that we decide not to post on social media because they’re too graphic and distressing. You see people lying in the road, trapped under rubble or in bomb shelters, it’s horrifying to see.

‘We just want to keep going and do everything we can to help. The local community are one hundred percent behind us and it’s these people at home that are doing the most. Without their generosity, we’d have empty vans. We currently have ten vans planned for this next convoy but at present remain two drivers short. We’ll be bringing six or seven refugees back with us this time and people in the community are still needed to host too if they can.’

‘On March 7, we will be making our tenth journey over on the one year anniversary. This is one we never thought we would take, especially back when we made the first. I don’t think anyone could have imagined the situation continuing for this long and if anything, conditions out there are getting worse.’

‘We have regular contacts each time we go out there now, the first time we went, we just went straight to the first refugee shelter we could find. Everything was completely new yet happening so quickly too. Our main contact is a young woman called Ariena; she works out of the Field Cathedral of the Polish Army, running humanitarian aid organisation and distributing the aids from Warsaw into the Ukraine.’

In preparation for their next trip, Darren and the Lions Clubs involved are still welcoming all donations.

Darren said: ‘Medical and first aid supplies are the most crucial thing needed right now, we’re getting word from hospitals about just how badly they need supplies, particularly wheelchairs, generators, paracetemol, nappies, baby food, warm clothing and hand warmers.

‘We’ve had three defibrillators donated for this next trip; 30 in total have been donated, along with other equipment like single use chest pads.’

Donations can be given to the Emporium in Callingon on Tavistock Road, Darren’s Cars in St Ann’s Chapel and the Lions Club in Tavistock. Due to the Lions network, donation points have been set up throughout Devon and Cornwall, in places such as Penzance and Newquay. Cash donations can also be given, as these trips are all self-funded, and such donations can then be spent on fuel and upkeep of the vehicles.

To view the full list of donations being sought for the next trip and for all the information on Darren and the Lions’ work in delivering aid, visit the Facebook group ‘Cornwall & Devon sending love to Ukraine’ or their main website: https://sendinglovetoukraine.org