May 2023 News
This update will concentrate on the trip to Ukraine to deliver the eNet van. Our trip started with excellent timing at Heathrow where Raphael and Christopher were flying in from the USA just before we were due to fly to Warsaw, so we took a risk and drove to the airport. We jumped out of the car in the drop off zone and they leaped in and drove off home. Our first task in Warsaw was to make our way to where the van had been left by the driver from Ireland, somewhat complicated by roaming, eSims and other technical hurdles, but we eventually met up with the van and Olga. The next stage of the expedition was ready to begin.
It was a long drive to the Ukrainian border, through Warsaw suburbs and then motorways and time was tight. As we pressed on the oil warning light came on and stayed on. This was a bit concerning, and we stopped at the first services we could find that was open late at night. We then had something of a challenge locating the dip stick and then determining what the correct oil to use. Confusingly the dip stick indicated oil levels were fine. While we tried to find the information online, Olga spotted a policeman driving the same kind of van and asked for his advice. He confirmed that we didn’t need any more oil and offered the suggestion, with a wry smile, that if you exceeded the speed limit for long periods the oil light came on, it was a quirk of the van. We all nodded politely and went on our way…
Close to the border we got a tiny bit lost, but fortunately were able to correct ourselves and make it to the border crossing. Our paperwork was missing a gift declaration that we expected to pick up at the border, leading to a few hours delay and we were worried the military escort we were meeting would not still be there but they were at the rendezvous and not at all bothered by delays. This was fortunate because it was now after midnight and a curfew is in place, we needed the escort for that alone, and of course to help us navigate to our destination.
Across the border and it is only 1 a.m…
We now had more driving to do, in order to be in Lviv for our appointments later that day. We followed Bohdan, our military driver as he wove his way through and around various checkpoints and obstacles, as well as a collection of quite spectacular potholes — calling them potholes was kind, many were gaping chasms. This was all very challenging driving, but we made it into Lviv by 4:30 a.m. without breaking an axle!
After a couple of hours sleep (an overrated activity) we took the van to the Catholic University to unload all the items collected in Ireland, and then restocked the van with items for the troops at the front including food, bandages, medicines, camoflauge netting, and two generators. This had to happen early because Bohdan needed to be on his way with the van.
Before departing with the van Bohdan took us to the Reservist HQ in Lviv where we exchanged flags
With the van handed over we switched to the main focus of the visit over the remaining days, meeting the people we have been sending aid to and learning what kind of support they still need. We visited several community centres where they are making camouflage nets, but are having to improvise because they have run out of netting in Ukraine.
This group were originally based in the Gunpowder Tower in the centre of Lviv, but now relocated. They gave us our first instruction in how to make our own camouflage nets.
We visited the paediatric wing of the First Medical Union Hospital in Lviv which is called The Hospital of Saint Nicholas where we were introduced to the Medical Director Ivanyuk who is also a paediatric anaesthesiologist, and his colleague Andriy, Head of the Surgery Centre. They told us that the paediatric hospital had been sorely in need of an upgrade in all ways and that the work had finally started a month before war broke out but as soon as the country was on a war footing all the government funding had been withdrawn and that they now rely on charities to keep the hospital running. UNICEF have been assisting but they need more help in all aspects of their care.
Director of St Nicholas Hospital with a donation of scrubs from us and Andriy receiving some scrubs that we had sent on a truck ahead of our trip
Saint Nicholas is a 400 bed hospital for ages 0 to 18 but can sometimes have up to 100 patients a day to triage and this is very difficult for them with the facilities that they have. Children are arriving with traumas that they have not seen before and the staff are asking help from the international community, not only for practical aid but also for advice on how to treat these traumatised youngsters. Some children whom they would ordinarily expect to recover are so closed in on themselves that recovery is delayed. We met a therapist who asked if we could supply art and craft materials to help engage with the children. I said that “of course we would help and what sort of things did they have in mind?” to which she replied, “anything at all - could you send us some coloured paper?” I could have cried at the simplicity of her request.
There is a great deal that we can easily do for these children and I will compile a list of supplies to follow. These also include kitting out a new school room for long term patients that they have built and had just opened but has no equipment inside it. For example, they need an English reading scheme as English is now officially the second language of Ukraine.
Their operating theatre has no scrubs and they have asked for our help to make 664 sets in bright colours. Surgeons need many sets of scrubs because they often work a day shift at their hospital and then move on to other hospitals to do the same again at night. For this reason Andriy asked if we could embroider ‘Operating Room’ on the scrubs so that they were designated to this department at Saint Nicholas Hospital. I looked at him horrified imagining my mangling of the Cyrillic letters into some spuriously awful meaning and said that I didn’t think that I could. They all broke into smiles at the look on my face and said “in English, Operating Room in English” - this might be possible and I am currently investigating options.
For those of you who are not currently sewing it would be very helpful to have expressions of your interest to help before I invest in the cloth and also helpful if you are able to recommend other people to assist. Ordinarily we would make a big push in-house with manufacturing days but this is more complicated because of the required DBS clearance.
The rehabilitation centre that we visited is also based at Lviv First Medical Union Hospital in Lviv. The patients group themselves under the word “Unbroken”. Many of them have lost everything, home, family and for some, childhood, and yet they remain Unbroken. The city of Lviv has become a large humanitarian hub where not only people fleeing the war find refuge, but many are evacuated via trains or ambulances to receive treatment at the UNBROKEN National Rehabilitation Centre where they receive comprehensive medical care, including reconstructive surgery, orthopaedics ad robotic prosthetics. The prosthetics are not only fitted but also made here. In addition the centre provides physical, psychological and psychosocial rehabilitation of the injured military and civilians.
We were granted amazing access and were able to speak directly with the soldiers on the military wing. We took the opportunity to ask them exactly how we could help and have been given a list that I will share with you. However, we did go into town to shop on the day we visited. We bought them a table tennis tableland other basic equipment to help those who had lost a dominant arm to practise and also those with prosthetic legs a fun way to increase their stability.
We met one charming twenty year old young man who was a student in Land Management at the University. Although he wasn’t obliged he signed up to fight and being so healthy, strong and fit he was put into reconnaissance. Ruslan trod on a landmine and has lost both of his legs one above the knee and one below. Like all of those we met, Ruslan is absolutely incredible - UNBROKEN - and has agreed with his commander that as soon as he has his robotic prostheses fitted he will return to service working with maps or with drones.
Ruslan, his therapist, Roxy and Rosie
Travelling on to Ternopil we visited a military hospital where we delivered some scrubs, they were incredibly grateful because they have no uniform at all. Some nurses were just in white fleeces and whatever white trousers they could muster. The hospital was small and cramped, smelt dreadful and the food was awful sweet carbohydrate, much left on the plates. There was an American there who said that the facility was very basic. He reported that they had insufficient medicine at the frontline and that they sometimes went for 10-17 days in a row without food.
We met with a young lad who was 19 but I suspect he had lied about his age. He had already been awarded two medals for bravery and was in hospital with a gunshot wound. This hospital was a first response hospital rather than a rehabilitation hospital.
In Ternopil we met with Vlad, a pharmacist, who has set up a volunteer hub to muster medical equipment and supplies for military medical centres. He told us that it was proving difficult to source or to pay for basic medicines and care items. He needs our help.
Vlad showing empty dispensary and the single person first aid kits assembled by Vlad and his team.
Ternopil is a city of 100,000 people but has 30,000 refugees now. The line of people queuing for a food parcel was endless, most only have what they could carry when they fled. We also talked to the Ternopil Times who wanted to run a story about The Scrubbery. We had planned to go to Kyiv but the people we had wanted to meet were moved away at short notice and so there was no reason to go. The air raids started up again when we would have been there so it turned out to be a good decision. While getting ready for our return the air raid sirens went off in Ternopil, which was, in fact, targeted.
Knights of Columbus handing out food parcels to the 30,000 displaced citzens
Then it was time to do all the travel in reverse, by coach from Ternopil to Lviv and Lviv to the border, where the coach was held for 12 hours without explanation. Luckily we had some slack in our plans, but even so we only just made it to Warsaw airport in time for our flight home. Olga, travelling separately, was also delayed and although she arrived late at the airport, her flight was also delayed and still there. Unfortunately the airline made her buy a new ticket for a later flight, which was a bit mean of them!
It has been an extraordinary experience and we learned so much about the bravery and determination of the people in the face of such terrible adversity. We have got detailed lists of items that the hospitals and clinics need, and will start working out our plans to procure and deliver these over the next weeks.
On Friday 12th May I had a meeting with Fleur Anderson, our MP, to debrief about the trip to Ukraine and action points going forward. I asked Fleur about twinning Putney with Lviv and Fleur has kindly written to Wandsworth Council to propose this but please also take this up with your local councillors. Twinning could be the platform on which we can reasonably solicit help from a much wider community. I do believe that people have a fundamental wish to help and this is what we do best at The Scubbery as you will know already, our mission statement is to help people to help. An opportunity that I missed was to meet with an MP in Lviv whom Fleur mentors. I had visited three times and just as I had left I discovered this, however, I believe that Natalia Pipa is coming to the UK so perhaps we will meet then and twinning makes even more sense knowing that we already have this connection.
Fleur and I spoke about Saint Nicholas Hospital, the rehabilitation centre - Unbroken, the military hospital in Ternopil, the pharmacy distribution hub in Ternopil. the Lviv Catholic University Volunteer Corps whom we have been working with since war broke out. We talked about the Ternopil and Lviv Community camouflage net makers network, Ternopil Refugee Centre and the Knights of Columbus who are helping with food distribution and the community kitchens run by the clergy near the front lines.
Next, and perhaps most importantly we discussed how we here in the UK, might help and believe me, these courageous people really do need our help. We will be giving some talks locally to tell you more, but if you would like to get started here is a link to a list of items that we will be collecting at the hub.
There will be a short taster talk after the main Sunday Service at All Saints’ Putney Common on 18th June and before that I will speak at greater length to the Barnes Women’s Institute on 5th June and the Putney Women’s Institute on 19th June.
Oasis Academy Putney have also given permission for us to have an evening talk and we will let you know via interim mailing when we have settled dates and details.