A crowdfunding appeal is under way to buy a van for transporting urgent medical supplies and other essentials to Ukraine.

Ottery Refugee Response Group is supporting the fundraising appeal by Emma Henning of the charity Spirit of Ukraine, which wants to send supplies out to another relief organisation, The Canada Way. They have been in Ukraine since March 2022 and are able to distribute the supplies to families in need and also to the Ukrainian military.

They are currently based in Kharkiv, near the Russian border, an area which is often targeted by Russian missile strikes.

The fundraising campaign for a van is also being supported by Scott Cheadle of Ottery-based Toadpit Medical Services, who has been taking medical supplies and humanitarian aid out to Ukraine in his company’s own ambulance since March 2022. He has made 15 trips, covering 40,000 miles, but now needs to spend more time focusing on his own business, providing medical cover at Motocross races, festivals and other events in the local area. So a new vehicle is needed to continue transporting the medicines and equipment being donated by local hospitals, GP surgeries and individuals.

He is appealing for people to donate to the fundraiser for the van.

Ottery Refugee Support Group said: “It is vital that a truck is secured so we ask to please support this appeal if you can. Emma is desperate to get the supplies out there as soon as possible, especially as bombings have intensified recently.

“If anyone has any fund-raising ideas and/or be willing to help in any way, then please let us know. Maybe you have a spare 3.5 tonne truck or know of one?”

To contact the group email otteryrefugeeresponse@gmail.com.