Ukraine: Sevenoaks volunteers taking aid to refugees

Arthur Smith, who owns Patrol Services in Sevenoaks, says he will help transport orphans out of Kyiv to Poland

A mobile mechanic firm is sending a convoy of vehicles and volunteer medics to Poland to support refugees of the war in Ukraine.

Patrol Services, based in Sevenoaks, Kent, will also help evacuate a group of orphans from an orphanage near Kyiv to Poland.

Organisers said the convoy will stop at Ukrainian embassies in Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands en route.

Firm owner Arthur Smith said he wanted to help those affected by the war.

He said: "The plan is to load the coach from up north at a medical supplies auction and we will then be taking the coach to either Dover or Harwich to get on a ferry to the mainland.

"Once we get to Ukraine we will unload and the coach will be used for transport for refugees. We've had an official request to transport orphans from an orphanage near the capital to the Polish border."

He added the company was working with another organisation, Emergency First, to organise the trip.

Tunbridge Wells-based osteopath Anissa Germain has filled her pilates studio with donations from local businesses

Meanwhile in Tunbridge Wells, small businesses and communities have joined forces to collect donations for refugees.

Osteopath Anissa Germain, 33, sent a newsletter to clients asking for donations after watching the conflict escalate on the news and since then she has filled her pilates studio with 26 bags and boxes of donations.

Ms Germain said: "Looking at the news, it was terribly sad and I woke up and just wanted to do something. A friend decided to drive to the border of Ukraine so I sent a letter to my clients and whole communities got together and started bringing more and more bags."

Becky Gunning from Stonegate has helped to raise £29k by donating prizes for a raffle along with other businesses

In East Sussex, one business owner has teamed up with almost 60 other firms across the UK to raise about £29,000 for Ukraine by donating stock as raffle prizes.

Becky Gunning, who owns Bricks and Stitches in Stonegate, said: "We've got an amazing community of small business owners on Instagram and one suggested that on Sunday we donate 10% of our takings to the British Red Cross.

"We were keen not to stop there. So we all donated a prize and the raffle went live on Wednesday. We have raised about £29,000 which has just been phenomenal."

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