Care home furniture sent to Ukraine eye hospital

It took 30 volunteers six hours to dismantle furniture and load it on to the lorry

A lorry packed with furniture from a closed care home is on its way to Ukraine's national eye hospital after 30 volunteers loaded it.

The furniture, which included shower chairs, cupboards, armchairs and beds, was donated by the owner of the 21-bed home in Silverstone, Northamptonshire.

The operation has involved Ukraine aid groups in Milton Keynes in Buckinghamshire, and Towcester in Northants.

The organisers said it was "possibly one of the single largest local aid donations of recent times".

The furniture included armchairs, cupboards and tables

The Church of England's Tove Benefice in Towcester has already arranged for seven ambulances full of aid to be sent to the war-torn country, that was invaded by Russia in 2022.

But volunteers from the benefice realised the entire contents of a care home was too much for them to manage on their own, so they enlisted the help of Help Ukraine BAMK in Milton Keynes.

About 80% of the lorry was filled with furniture

It took several weeks to fix a date for the clearance operation and find a haulage company that would offer a discounted price for the journey of 1,850 miles to Odesa on Ukraine's Black Sea coast.

The vehicle that arrived at the care home took the volunteers by surprise.

"We had expected a fixed body lorry, but what arrived to us in Silverstone was a full-length articulated lorry," said Steve Challen from the benefice.

"We could not believe it when we 80% filled the lorry at the care home site."

Steve Challen from the Tove Benefice said it was "just as well" a huge articulated lorry had been sent to the care home

The loading operation was a joint effort between Towcester and Milton Keynes volunteers

Once aid collected in Towcester and Milton Keynes had been added, the vehicle was jam-packed with over 530 boxes and individual items.

Nataliya Lawson from Help Ukraine BAMK UK said the donations would provide "much-needed extra hospital capacity for those with eye injuries caused by the war"

Nataliya Lawson from Help Ukraine BAMK UK said: "We are immensely grateful to Mr Popat, the owner of Clare House, for his trust and generosity in making this huge donation.

"The items will provide much-needed extra hospital capacity for those with eye injuries caused by the war in Ukraine, and also greatly assist the vulnerable elderly in this difficult region."

The operation was also supported by Towcester Rotary, Silverstone WI, West Northamptonshire Council and Towcester Community Larder.