An update on the months activities by our guest author, thanks Bev.

Moldova convoy - Homeward bound

4 of our volunteers, Brian and Shaun in the 40-tonne artic, and Bill and Alex in Frantic (7.5 ton lorry) are currently driving back across Europe, having successfully completed their mission and work with TEECH (Telecoms Eastern European Challenge) in Moldova.  The team departed the UK on the 9th August and arrived in Balti, Moldova on Sunday 14th and started work and completed the distribution of essential food and non-food items to Ukrainian refugees and host families at multiple locations including: Displacement Camps and Old People’s homes.  One little boy recipient shrieked with delight as he was given some toys, something that have been missing from his life since fleeing Ukraine with his mother, whilst his father remains in Southern Ukraine defending his country.

Since their arrival the team have delivered over 20 tonnes of essential humanitarian aid to those in need, which wouldn’t have been possible without the support and kind donations of so many supporters, and readers of our newsletters.  Thank you all!

Aid directly into Ukraine.

On the 11th of August, our wonderful team of volunteers in Essex loaded a 40-tonne articulated lorry with essential foods and non-food items for direct delivery into Kyiv, Ukraine, to go to our new partner charity called ‘Ukraine on Palms’. 

The lorry has slowly made its way across Europe and is now crossing from Poland into Ukraine. It’s arrival is imminent.  Goods sent by Hope and Direct include: Sanitary wear, Nappies, Hygiene packs (courtesy of Clean the World in partnership with Amazon (details of the packs can be found on the Community Amazon Page), Shoes, Food, Bedding, and clothes including school uniforms (skirts, trousers, blazers, hoodies, sweatshirts and tee-shirts) destined to a specific school, courtesy of Bruton School.

To date, Hope and Aid Direct has sent and/or facilitated more than 35 trucks of essential humanitarian aid to those affected by the Ukraine war (equating to the approximate equivalent of well over one thousand pallet quantities of aid this year – a quite astounding achievement).

Refugees in France 

On 3 July, Hope and Aid Direct in partnership with Herts for Refugees, drove a full (to the gunnels) 7.5 tonne lorry, ‘Frantic’, over to Calais for the day to distribute: hundreds of tents and sleeping bags to partners working directly with refugees on a daily basis.  We would like to thank Mobile Refugee Support, Collective Aid and Refugee Community Kitchen for their continuous work in directly helping those in France with essential shelter and food daily.  

Festival Salvage - One down, one to go...

On Tuesday 15 August Hope and Aid Direct volunteers, with it’s truck ‘Robin Hood’, ventured into the aftermath of the Winchester ‘Boomtown Festival’ with Herts for Refugee volunteers, to salvage tents, sleeping bags and tarpaulins.  These are still very much in demand for refugees ‘surviving’ in Calais and Dunkirk. Despite the first rain deluges in a couple of months that had clearly been scheduled to conspire against us, we managed to salvage over 200 tents which are currently drying out in readiness for our next joint venture trip with Herts for Refugees to Calais and Dunkirk in September, post the Reading Festival salvage at the end of August. 

One of our volunteers said after Boomtown ‘It was hard work but very worthwhile and a bit of an eye opener…’

We are still looking for MORE volunteers to help at the Reading Festival on the 29th and 30th August, with vehicles or just persons to help collect up the tents and sleeping bags!  PLEASE let us know NOW if you can help, to enable pre-registration and access to the site. “honestly, it’s hard work but it’s a fun day out each day, and SO WORTHWHILE!”

Warehouse Update - space secured

It is with great relief that we can report that Hope and Aid Direct has secured temporary shop storage space, free of charge at least until the end of this year, to house our vital donations of aid that we are continuing to collect to support refugee’s needs across Europe, but predominantly those affected by the Ukraine war.

This space enables the charity to sort aid like-with-like before shipment to our partners, which enables rapid and efficient distribution to those in-need. 

We very much want aid to continue to roll into the charity, as per the needs list however, we are requesting a short respite of BULK aid deliveries until 8th September when we will transition into the new warehouse space.  Please contact one of our invaluable Drop off Point Managers for more details.

Thank you to all involved in securing the space, and in particular to Essex County Council, and Basildon Eastgate Centre and the owners of the premises for their ongoing support of our work.

Volunteer of the month!

Has to go to Bill Hunter, one of our loyal and longstanding volunteers who has driven many thousands of miles for the charity since our response to the Migration crisis in Europe and stayed behind to continue to ‘ferry’ refugees from Moria camp in Lesvos, to a day centre for mothers and children pre-Covid. 

Since then, Bill has been working behind the scenes in the UK driving hundreds of miles to collect aid, Bill is also one of our Drop off Point Managers, and is our ‘volunteer of the month’, as he has just celebrated his birthday whilst on Convoy in Moldova!  (we won’t embarrass him any more by giving any numbers).

We wanted to celebrate Bill’s contribution with all our readers.  Thank you, Bill, you’re a star!

Volunteer roles

Whilst the Ukraine war has disappeared off our mainstream news, the war continues to rage on, and as such the charity is seeking some key roles and support from anyone wanting to be involved, who has a few hours to spare and can commit, on a regular basis.  Please don’t forget to visit our website and Reach volunteering for more details of how to be involved.

Upcoming events - September

Unveiling of the Safe Haven Kindertransport statue in Harwich. 

Another of our ardent volunteer supporters, the late Graham Crame (Rest in Peace) was heavily involved and a massive supporter of this amazing project which celebrates Harwich and Dovercourt’s crucial role in the Kindertransport during WW2.   

Harwich was the main port of entry to Britain from 1938 – 1939. We invite as many of you as possible to attend the unveiling at 11am on 1st September on the Harwich Quay, and this will be another wonderful place for us to remember Graham and his work as a true humanitarian.