Sir Julian, Tim, Jules, Marcus, Charles, Sharon, Rich and David were the drivers for this convoy and were accompanied by sundry others who were travelling to various conferences and events in recognition of the third anniversary of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine by Russia. UFC had four 4 x4’s for delivery to Ukraine out of a convoy of ten. One of the vans carried an MP travelling with us to attend the conference in Kyiv.

The trip did not start quite as planned. The vehicle driven by three parliamentary assistants and another agency didn’t have the correct documentation; nor, so it turned out, did one of ours! Rich heroically stayed behind to remedy the problem, so the three vehicles and drivers pitched up at our hotel in Germany somewhat later than the rest of us but all in one piece! Note for later – check all documentation even down to the barcode! To be fair, the journey for the rest of us was mostly uneventful except Sir Julian and Tim’s car decided a back window needed to stay open – an overdose of fresh air was not welcome in February! A bit of fiddling at the end of the drive remedied the situation. As we were picking up a senior MP from an airport in southern Poland, we had a little time to kill and eight of the vehicles went in convoy to visit Stalag Luft III, the prisoner of war camp immortalised in Steve McQueen’s epic film, The Great Escape.

The rest of day three progressed splendidly until very late in the long day when Google maps decided to send one vehicle straight on and another vehicle right; the result was general chaos. However, all drivers and vehicles pitched up at the Polish/Ukraine border hotel intact, if not a little frazzled. Beer and schnitzels remedied the situation.

Border crossings ‘R’ us! Or not, as the case may be. And not, if a single digit on an export document is incorrect. A very alert Ukrainian customs official spotted an offending digit in a VIN number; the result was a several hours delay for Tim and Julian while they supported poor Rich (again!) and Sharon waiting for new docs to be provided. Note to self – more pre trip checks required! In the meantime, the others arrived at a predetermined location in the Lviv region to deliver some of the aid and one of the vehicles and to meet a delegation of Westminster MPs who were going to Kyiv for the third anniversary of the Russian invasion.

Rich and Sharon’s job was done and at 0600 the following day they handed over their vehicle and trauma medical packs before getting a taxi back to the border and onward flights home. The other three UFC vehicles headed to Kyiv as one convoy, others separately made their way to Kyiv and one vehicle headed South to Odesa.

On arrival, Tim, Marcus and Julian (a Patron of UFC) headed out to an RV with one of our benefactors who was in the Kyiv for the YES conference the following day.

On the 24th February, Marcus went to the conference, Jules had a delivery drop to do, and Julian went to lunch! To be fair, he too went to meet a family friend (and frontline soldier) to give him some critical medical aid.

Charles was on the trip with us to assist with the driving but also to meet and check on Equine Assisted Services being conducted by agencies in Ukraine to promote long term positive changes in mental health, resilience, confidence and wellbeing through individual and group work.

More can be read about this work and Charles’ trip by clicking here.

Unfortunately, more trouble lay ahead in Kyiv! When Charles and David set off to deliver aid to an equine centre that provides rehabilitation for injured soldiers, they had barely got on the ring road before the engine management light came on and they had to make the decision to get it back to the hotel so the receiving regiment could get their mechanics to look at it before it started its long journey East. Not to be deterred, Charles made swift alternative arrangements – the last we saw of him, he was carting horse saddles out of the hotel – as you do!

 Tim and David demonstrated their navigational aptitude by locating a destination that didn’t seem to exist and delivered to the new owners the stricken vehicle at a workshop heavily disguised as a ramshackle and anonymous sprawl of shacks, warehouses and scrap metal. There we were met by the unit’s chief medical officer who was very grateful for the trauma boxes and the power pack we delivered.

We were now down to two vehicles.

After a lift back to the hotel, Tim and David’s next job was to get the rear window repaired and they set off to another prearranged destination which was also heavily disguised as, not a workshop, but something altogether different that we aren’t going to reveal. We were greeted by workshop staff and shown the extraordinary work they do, turning any vehicle into a medivac, some heavily armoured, others with lightweight composite materials for flexibility and mobility. Everything that combat medics ask for is installed to make their work more effective: stretchers on runners slip in and out easily; 240v power is provided for life saving monitoring equipment as is storage space for vital medical paraphernalia. The ingenuity of this team is remarkable, solution focused and making use of whatever materials are available. Their workshop had spare L200 cabs and in two hours they simply replaced our damaged one.

During our stay in Kyiv, the air raid sirens wailed regularly, and various announcements warned us that “complacency was our enemy”. On our last night in Kyiv, the warnings were followed at 05:10 by anti-aircraft fire from the rooftops. Most heard nothing; like so many Ukrainians, our drivers were oblivious, sleeping soundly.

The following day Marcus and Jules took one of the 4x4s to be delivered to our allies in Odesa. This phase of the operation proved interesting when the vehicle went kaput in the middle of nowhere on the fast road that links the capital with the Black Sea port. With nighttime temperatures below -10C this could have become something of a survival exercise. However, after a long walk back to a garage and a phone call, help was on hand from the most amazing Ukrainians. The problem, a broken alternator belt, was diagnosed and parts ordered. The drivers were put up at a local hotel for a couple of days and treated to wonderful hospitality, while the 4×4 was repaired. The vehicle was successfully delivered to grateful recipients and the mission accomplished. They extracted back to Blighty through Moldova.

Meanwhile, the day after the conference David headed west to meet some old friends. With the rear window repaired, Tim, Julian and Charles headed east, to Kharkiv, accompanied by a vehicle being driven by our long term partners, Macclesfield Ukranian Aid. Two other vans were to join us in Kharkiv once they had dropped off aid at a hospital and waited for some of the Parliamentary group to finish their meetings.

On arrival on the outskirts of Kharkiv we split off from the convoy and followed directions to another of Charles’ equine centres. Much was learned about the work this centre is doing to rehabilite soldiers. On departure from the centre, navigation proved difficult as Google maps had been jammed by the Russians but we eventually made it to our hotel.

There we had a meeting with a drone pilot UFC have been supporting and Tim and Julian went to dinner with the Deputy Mayor of Kharkiv, his delegation, and the remnants of the Westminster APPG who were in town. Much was made of the work we do, so further meetings were arranged for the following day.

After these meetings, we headed back to the capital hitching a ride with the two vans – thank you Jon and Stuart! In Kyiv we had a meeting with a company supporting mental health in Ukraine using VR googles and jumped on a late-night train heading West. The three met up with David in Poland before eventually arriving in London after 10 days on the road, exhausted!

Despite everything that the fates threw at this trip, it was a great success: all vehicles delivered; large quantities of aid handed to those who need it most; conferences attended and contacts made anew or refreshed; further insights provided into the extraordinary ingenuity and resourcefulness of the Ukrainian people and what we can do to help; links built with organisations using horses to support the rehabilitation of soldiers and children; a reminder, if one were needed, that Ukraine Freedom Company enterprises are overwhelmingly welcomed by our Ukrainian friends.