Ukraine Appeal
When I first heard about the war in Ukraine, I felt a deep urge to do something to help. Just a few days after the war began, I searched online to see if any local charities or businesses were running appeals. To my surprise, I found nothing locally. I then discovered a donation point in Manchester, and it became clear to me that we needed to set up an appeal to help the people fleeing their homes.
I reached out to Waterloo News and proposed that we work together, offering my funeral home as a drop-off point for donations. Initially, the plan was to collect items and take them to the distribution center in Manchester. We went live with a post on social media, asking for donations of essential items such as toiletries, nappies, first aid supplies, clothes, bedding, towels, and sanitary products. Within 24 hours, people began arriving with donations, and as the days passed, we were overwhelmed with phone calls and deliveries from the local community—and even further afield. Schools, local businesses, and community groups eagerly joined in, all wanting to contribute.
After a few days, we revised our post to focus on essential items like toiletries and first aid supplies, as the volume of donations was immense. The generosity of the public was beyond anything I could have expected. Myself, Lee Woods, and Dave Howarth from Waterloo News spent hours sorting through the items—everything from toothbrushes and shampoos to clothes, baby wipes, and medicines—making sure everything was well-organized.
The garage at my business quickly filled up with donations, and after two weeks, we learned that the distribution center in Manchester was also overwhelmed and unable to process the items. Faced with the challenge of getting these supplies to those who needed them, we jokingly suggested driving the donations ourselves—and soon, that idea became a reality.
We decided to document the journey to ensure that people could see their donations reaching the people in need. With the right contacts, we quickly worked out the logistics. We contacted the Ukrainian Club in London for advice and secured a list of organizations accepting donations in Poland. Through my connections, I reached out to Aid Prytula, a charity organization that had been helping the people of Ukraine, particularly their military, since 2016. They connected us with a volunteer based in Kyiv who arranged for us to meet colleagues in Poland to hand over the donations.
On March 23rd, myself, my brother Craig Perry, and Lee Woods from Waterloo News set off on our journey, beginning with a drive to Dover to catch the ferry to Dunkirk. From there, we traveled through France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, and finally into Poland. Our plan was to take turns driving and rest when possible, but sitting in a cramped van made sleep nearly impossible. We arrived in Poland around 10 p.m. the next evening, having driven through six countries in 22 hours. After a brief rest, we visited Auschwitz to pay our respects, a sobering and thought-provoking experience.
We then headed to our donation drop-off point in Lubycza Krolewska, Poland, where we arrived at 4 p.m. on Friday. We were in contact with a volunteer, who reassured us that it was safe to go to the Ukrainian border. Upon reaching the border, the scene was chaotic, with flashing police lights, food stalls, and makeshift tents for people being processed. Polish soldiers were escorting refugees, and we saw the convoy of trucks waiting to cross into Ukraine. It was a powerful and emotional moment to witness.
At the border, we also met a group of men from Wolverhampton who had driven over to deliver aid, and we spoke with an American man funding food runs to help those in need. After spending time at the border, we began our long journey back to the UK—driving nonstop, only stopping for food, breaks, and driver changes. The return trip was exhausting, driving through dark, unfamiliar roads, but we pushed through and made it back to Dunkirk in time to catch the ferry.
By the time we returned to the funeral home at 10:30 p.m. on Saturday, we had traveled nearly 3,000 miles in 75 hours, delivering essential supplies directly to those who needed them. It was a trip I will never forget, and I am deeply humbled to have been a part of it. The generosity of our community was truly extraordinary, and I’m proud to have ensured that their donations made it to where they were most needed.