Our friends in Ukraine - You Can Help
Trying to connect the dots for everyone!
Thought I’d try and put this whole ‘adventure’ (if you can call it that) into one kind of context for everyone who has been so kind and supported us and given so generously.
The couple in the photo are our friends, we met by chance when our trade stands were next to each other at Olympia in London a number of years ago.
We got chatting and as well as our companies being so similar in their basis and culture, we were also all Scouters. Same values, same beliefs, same people, different language, our stories were almost the same 
Yaroslav Kolodiy (husband) has remained in Ukraine with their eldest son.
Victoria has left to stay in Wein Austria, I’m going to call it Wein now, like Kiev is Kyiv. If you stop a people using their language, you steal their culture, their identity, who they are. For those that don’t want to loose that, it’s not right, not fair! It’s oppression, tyranny and unjustifiable. Ceri and I stood on a line once, (metaphorically) in uniform, and offered protection to those who couldn’t protect themselves.
Victoria has taken responsibility for the children of several families who couldn’t leave for many reasons. In such a serious way that their parents have signed over parental responsibility, custody, to Victoria. They are evacuees….we’ve seen that before.
What was our contribution, we’ve just driven 1100 miles to deliver two 4x4’s laden with medical supplies and essential kit to keep those still in Ukraine, fighting for what we take for granted, as safe as they can be in some little way. It wasn’t brave, we’re most definitely not heroes, we felt the need to do something. It’s just human.
Together with Yaroslav we have motivated and inspired a network across South Wales and Southern England who are now beginning to do the same. Finding suitable 4x4s and supplies and getting them out there.
The big aid agencies take time, (through no fault of their own, just because of systems, procedures and red tape) to get into action. We were small, flexible and able to respond quickly to the demands of those in the thick of it.
So if you can help, please give as much, or as little as you can. That will help us do our little bit more.
Remember, if we all do just one little bit, together it becomes something incredible! 
Thank you, from my family and their family, and the people who have been helped, to yours