March 2025
Recent deliveries to Ukraine
Pick Ups for Peace
Paul, a regular driver for Pick Ups for Peace, recently collected a huge shipment ready for transport to Ukraine.
It included:
208 trench candles (bravo candle team)
Another camouflage net (bravo camo team)
Sleeping bags, yoga mats, duvets and blankets, a brand new tyre on a wheel, halogen working lamps, torches, batteries, power tools and a huge number of incredibly heavy, but useful tools.
En route, Paul messaged Rosie, “Are there any wrenches and/or adjustable spanners in the load as we have a problem?” Thanks to the diligence of Fong and Gillian, the packing team, Rosie could answer, “Yes, there are 3 in Crate Number One!” Every time I type these lists I salute, not only Rosie who plans and co-ordinates everything, but all of you who read her call out lists and donate time after time. It is amazing. A special thank you goes to our friends in Forest Green who donated a trailer load of tools and fixings which Gareth had kindly pre-checked. These included a work bench, a bench grinder, pick axes, spirit levels, car jacks and hand tools.
Our delivery drivers are also remarkable for being both courageous and flexible. On his last trip, Paul’s co-driver had to pull out on the morning of departure. Paul drove 1,300 miles on his own. He drives in a convoy about once a month. In Lviv they are met by the military who need the vehicles and are able to distribute the contents that we send where they are most needed.
Medical Lifelines Ukraine
An ambulance is going to Ukraine this Friday March 28th. The load includes Ensure drinks for recovery and energy , some pre-term angel gowns and premature baby clothing and some beautiful hand-knitted children’s jumpers, cardigans and baby blankets. Thank you to all the knitters and machinists who made this possible.
It is also carrying an incubator, a buggy and an electric wheelchair donated by Alison at Noah’s Ark Hospice. The ambulance arrived to collet from us at the Oasis Academy driven by an off-duty fireman. Unfortunately, the tail-lift was not working. Somehow, he and Rosie lifted in the buggy and incubator. A passing parent kindly helped with the electric wheelchair which weighed a ton. The fireman, impressed with Rosie’s super strength, instantly offered her a job as his co-driver and said “you are coming with me! Just wow!”
Embrace Me
This is an Ascot-based charity who we regularly work with. Rosie knows Lynda from Covid times - she ran Scrubs Glorious Scrubs. Lynda is connected with Embrace Me and with Dimitro who has previously driven shipments to Ukraine for us. Rosie was looking for transport for the two children’s beds that were part of the donation from Noah’s Ark Hospice. An Embrace Me volunteer, Kelly, hired a transit van and came to the Scrubbery with a friend to collect the beds. Somehow they got the two beds into the van.
While there Kelly and co. came upstairs to have a look at The Scrubbery and at that moment, the school ran a lockdown drill. This added considerable interest to their visit. A local private hospital donated mattresses for the bed bases. Once the beds made it to Ascot they were loaded into an ambulance for Dimitro (top left below) to drive onwards.
Cast socks
A big thank you to everyone who has made 78 beautiful cast socks. These were shipped with Medical Lifelines Ukraine this weekend. They are going to Mechnikov Hospital. This is one of the largest hospitals in Ukraine, founded in 1798. It is situated in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast bordering the Donbas region and treats victims of the war, especially the military.
These requests are co-ordinated by Olha, a volunteer in Natalia Pipa’s office in Lviv. The socks will be collected and forwarded by Nova Poshta from Lviv to Dnipro. Valerii will collect them and take them to the hospital for us.
Fumba Town Library
Janet organised for a shipment of books from us to the Fumba town library in Nyamanzi, Zanzibar. These books have been delivered, and we have received messages of love and gratitude from them. The books filled out their children’s book section.
Call Out Lists
The Scrubbery is still looking for clean tin cans for trench candles, and Aran weight wool for cast socks. We are always looking for more volunteers - you don’t have to be able to sew to help.
Olha from Natalia Pipa is looking for men’s clothing in sizes large and above. (L-XXXXL): 100 hoodies, 51 T shirts and new underwear.
Pickups for Peace are asking for items for several destinations:
Hospitals
Adult nappies, surface antiseptic, rehab equipment, ie resistance bands, yoga mats and weights.
Military
Military clothing and webbing, men’s socks, sleeping bags, bicycle bags and mats in muted colours, jerry cans.
General
Chocolate, protein bars, mosquito repellent, sunblock and women’s sanitary products.
Electronic
Old laptops and tablets, head torches with batteries, old mobile phones plus chargers if possible.
