A kind-hearted team led by a man from Oldham is returning to the Poland-Ukraine border to deliver much-needed aid in horse boxes to help refugees amid the Russian invasion.
Last month, former Bluecoat School student Stephen Barnes and his fellow team members at Ukraine Equestrian Relief said they made the biggest delivery of aid that refugee camps in Poland received up to that point.
The team took a convoy of horse boxes filled with donated aid and were able to help two of the main refugee centres on the border.
Once there, they were given shopping lists from the centres and were able to provide them with essential supplies.
And now, after being so impacted by what they saw, they are heading back on the 2,000-mile round trip to deliver much needed help once again.
Ben Smith, a farrier from Lincolnshire, spoke about why he will be once again volunteering.
He said: “I’ve seen how much more help is needed and already the refugee situation is dropping out the news.
"We need to keep their presence in the public eye.
"What we did last time made a massive difference, and hopefully we can keep making a difference.”
The next convoy leaving on Friday, May 6 will see five horse trucks filled with supplies for those in need.
Taking a similar route, the team will head across to both Germany and Poland where they will deliver aid to refugee centres.
Once again, the team will also be on sight for a short time, to where they can provide help for those living there.
Ukraine Equestrian Relief is in the process of being set up as a registered charity to help as many people as possible.
They have now raised more than £70,000, through donations and organised events.
Stephen’s mum, Irene Barnes, who was also one of the volunteers on the last trip, said: “During our time in Poland, we saw the direct impact of the worst of humanity and the positive impact of the best of humanity.
"The Polish have opened their hearts, arms and homes to Ukraine s fleeing their ravaged villages, towns, and cities.
"For many towns and cities, the costs must be borne by those locations and their residents, there is still a lot to do, and aid is desperately needed.
"The generosity and heartfelt support of the British people is valued by Poland and the people of Poland.”
Stephen and the teams’ journey will be shared throughout the trip to show the impact that the help can have, and hopefully encourage others to help where they can.
You can follow the trip via social media on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter: @UkraineEquestrianRelief and also via @livandlauren_report on Instagram and @landl_report on twitter.
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