A group in Peterborough say people in Ukraine don't want to be abandoned

A group in Peterborough say people in Ukraine are remaining hopeful.

It's after the Helping Our Ukrainian Friends group delivered supplies to the country last week.

It was the group's twentieth trip since the war started.

Supplies included two second-hand four-by-four vehicles.

They're desperately short of four-by-four vehicles for medical evacuation

Richard Astle, chair of the group, said:

"It makes a huge difference."

"They're desperately short of four-by-four vehicles for medical evacuation."

"So every vehicle we donate – and this is the seventh vehicle we have donated – is making a difference."

"It's saving lives because without them, they simply can't get out to those casualties and bring them back, so it makes a practical difference."

"On the one hand, they remain very resolute and determined, and the people we were talking to say for them there's no question of giving up."

"But then also you can see and hear in their eyes and their voices the weariness and the sense of unending difficulty."

"I would say the biggest difference is just practical demonstration of our continued support."

"The fact that there are people in the UK who are still raising money, buying vehicles and are prepared to get those vehicles out there that sends them such a strong message of hope because their biggest fear is that they will be abandoned."

You can see and hear in their eyes and their voices the weariness and the sense of unending difficulty

The money for one of the vehicles was raised by a group of women from Ukraine in Peterborough and Stamford who held a race night at Burghley Golf Club earlier this year.

Helping Our Ukrainian Friends will be fundraising again in May for another trip in June.

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