Dorset man seeks bus drivers to help Ukrainian refugees

Cliff Wilson, from Dorset, has been helping Ukrainian refugees during the past three weeks

A man who bought a bus to ferry Ukrainian refugees to safety in Poland is calling for more drivers to expand his fleet.

Cliff Wilson, 36, has helped those fleeing the war make the 12-hour journey from Uman, in central Ukraine, to Medyka, over the past three weeks.

Mr Wilson, from near Poole, Dorset, has transported almost 200 refugees since buying the 56-seat bus.

The youngest passenger was five months old.

Mr Wilson, who works in the European Parliament and now lives in Brussels, wants "willing and able drivers" who hold a UK bus licence to get in touch so more refugees can be helped.

He said: "Being a father myself of a young boy, I wanted to do whatever I could do most effectively to help those people suffering."

The bus has been used to take vital aid such as water and medicine across the border

'Tears, shock, confusion'

Mr Wilson said: "They're saying goodbye to family members and not knowing the next time they're going to see them. So there's a lot of tears, shock, confusion. The first few hours on the bus were, you know, basically silent.

"People could be crying for hours into the journey. So pretty sad, but then as we get moving some relief starts forming as well, and we start building up more of a bond and a trust, and we make sure they're really well looked after - chocolate, for example, they might not have seen for weeks, and that's always a mood brightener."

The bus, decked out with blue seats and yellow curtains on the inside, has a microwave and kettle so refugees can have hot meals and babies can have warm milk.

There are also charging cables for passengers' phones, and they are given croissants, fruit and chocolate bars upon boarding.

Mr Wilson has transported almost 200 refugees since buying the 56-seat bus

Mr Wilson has also been using the bus, with driver Niall Gordon, from Sheffield, to take vital aid across the border, such as medicine, water, sleeping bags, mattresses, backpacks, nappies and sanitary products.

Mr Wilson has fundraised about £6,700, which has helped with running costs so far, including the £760 it costs to fill up the tank with diesel for the 24-hour return journey. He is hoping to get further funding.

On Thursday he will head out with a new driver, Martyn Dunn, from Derby, for a fifth trip and is planning to continue helping for another month.

Mr Dunn, 39, who runs a pub in Derby, said: "I'm a little bit apprehensive, but it's a new experience, a new challenge and doing the right thing."