Shropshire man gets ready for his second aid trip to Ukraine
A Shropshire man is preparing to make his second trip to Ukraine with aid after being overwhelmed by the devastation in the country.
Mick Thompkins, from Whittington, near Oswestry, bought a mini bus, helped by donations from supporters, and with friend, Richard Collings from Leeds, drove it full of aid across Europea into Ukarine.
The pals met up with an English teacher who had to flee Kyiv, where he and his partner had been teaching and are now in the north east of the county.
They handed over not only the aid but the vehicle itself to be used to help those escaping from the war zones and returned back to the UK by plane.
Now Mick, 48, is getting ready for a second trip this time with a 4x4 vehicle and trailer which will also be left as part of the aid.
He said it had been a difficult and emotional trip but said after watching the television footage he felt he could not stand by and do nothing.
"The minibus broke down in Dresden and by an incredible coincidence we were helped out by someone from Ukraine who broke down in tears when he discovered what we were doing. Then in Ukraine itself our journey was held up by a funeral for a Ukrainian soldier.
"We are lucky to have teamed up with Paul and Nadia who have had to leave their home in Kyiv and are doing an incredible job helping evacuees in Ukraine."
"They told us what they need now is a 4x4 vehicle and trailer."
Mick, who runs The Curry Stall - pop-up curry stalls at events across the region - says he wants to do the second trip as soon as possible, before the summer events season gets underway. He has already managed to buy a vehicle and trailer which will be filled with aid.
Anyone who wants to help can do so at gofundme.com/f/ukraine-van-dash or via Mick's Facebook page.
