Wroughton businessman takes aid to Ukrainian border

A businessman from Wroughton is leading a fleet of five vans driving humanitarian aid to the Ukrainian border.

Cliff Barry, 63, is taking the aid to Medyka in Poland on Thursday morning (24 March), where he’s got a contact who’s told him exactly the sort of products needed.

His van’s cargo includes medicine, toiletries, sanitary products and half-a-ton of dried food, as well as two printers to make signs to guide refugees at the border.

Cliff is aiming to feed and help Ukrainian refugees who are arriving in Poland nothing or very little.

The journey comes after Cliff and his wife Jo managed to raise over £20,000 to buy the van. Their initial fundraising target was £5,000.

Cliff began the fundraiser after taking Ukrainian aid to a larger centre in Swindon, where he discovered that there was a shortage of smaller fleets to make journeys.

Cliff and Jo are planning to fund one trip a month themselves for as long as they can afford, but are asking for donations so they can make more journeys.

“what we’re doing is big for a small number of people. There are five vans going on Thursday. Every trip costs £1000 to make – that’s 50p a mile. So anything people could do to help us with the fuel bills would be gratefully received"

Once the immediate need in Ukraine has passed, Cliff plans to either sell the van and donate the money to charity or donate the van itself to other humanitarian causes.

You can make a donation to the fundraiser on Cliff’s Facebook appeal.

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