An Essex nightclub promoter is driving to Poland to deliver aid for Ukraine
He'll set off on Saturday
An Essex nightclub promoter is set to drive near to the Ukrainian border to deliver aid to refugees affected by Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
Stu Whiffen, promoter at The Pink Toothbrush, in Rayleigh, will set off with two friends and a van packed full of donations on Saturday morning.
He was inspired to help out when, self-isolating with Covid, he watched footage from the invasion and was deeply moved: "I sat and watched the atrocities that are happening in Ukraine start to unfold, and like so many of us sat in our warm, lovely homes, watched this horror multiply rapidly and felt useless."
Inspired by a friend who's organising a fundraising concert, he decided to see if anyone he knew would be interested in getting involved: "I phoned two of my friends and said: 'I've got this idea that I'm going to get a van, fill it with essential aid, drive it to Poland and distribute it where it's needed.
"Both of them, in a heartbeat, said yes, which was incredible."
He hosted a drop-in for donations at the club, and says they received enough to completely fill the van within two hours: "I was stunned. We opened the doors at 12pm, and said we'd be there until 3pm, but by 12:30, the stage of the club was full with nappies, sanitary products, baby products...
"I knew the Toothbrush community was a very loving community but this is something else.
"I had an 80 year-old woman who said she'd saved up her Boots points and bought nappies.
"Savers in the high street donated lots of stuff and made it clear the people of Rayleigh had cleared them out of nappies, sanitary towels, toothbrushes and toothpaste."
He estimates that, once in France, it will take them two days of driving to reach their destination, but says that driving won't be the hard part - getting into the EU will be: "The only red tape we're experiencing at the moment is getting into the EU.
"It's very difficult explaining we're not taking this van load of goods to trade, that we're taking it as humanitarian aid.
"It's still being processed now, but we're very confident we'll get that over the line."
He says the difficulty is worth it, though: "All of the stuff that comes with a laborious drive, and the rough nights sleep getting out there, thanks to the stresses of organising it - that all pales in comparison to the journey these people have been on."
As well as delivering aid, Stu has launched a JustGiving page to support of Ukrainian refugees, with all donations going to War Child - the charity who are assisting him with his trip: "I was ambitious and set a £2000 target and we've passed that already without really pushing it.
"The kindness of strangers has knocked me sideways."