Below is a current list of appeals.
Our appeals change as the situation changes in Ukraine. The constant thing needed is Pickup trucks.
If you are from Ukraine or work with people in Ukraine and need help please get in contact with us.
We don’t just need money, we also need volunteers and items.
Please contact at vehivles4ukraine@thecarmen.co.uk
Power 4 Ukraine
Ukraine needs power
Russia is attacking Ukraine infrastructure, in particular targeting electricity distribution stations in the hope of leaving the people without heating in the coming winter. Parts of Ukraine only have power for 4 hours a day.
We are buying power packs (EcoFlow or BLUETTI) which can be charged by solar or by being plugged (after 4 hours they can supply 24 hours power). These range in cost from £150.00 (for a small domestic unit) to £2,500 (for commercial uses – with greater capacity). Traditional petrol and diesel powered generators are also being supplied.
If you have an working generator or power pack you would like to donate we would LOVE to take it from you and we will see that it gets to a worthy recipient in Ukraine.
Want to make a donation please click here
Supplying Hospitals
The Russians have just bombed 106 hospitals. That number is expected to increase.
As a result, makeshift hospitals are being set up in other public buildings such as community centres, town halls, etc. Finding a building is one thing, but they also need to equip these new hospitals. We have collected a vast amount of suitable supplies including beds and bedside furniture, monitoring equipment, specialist tables, medical fridges, office furniture and more which will transported in an artic lorry. Volunteers extremely kindly provide the lorries and trailers which are then driven by more volunteers across Europe to the Ukraine border. It cost £3500 per trip for the fuel, tolls, and accommodation.
If you can help with money to meet the transport cost or have items that would be useful to these hospitals please do get in touch. If you want to give money then you can use this link :xxxxxxx Gift aid will apply.
Want to make a donation please click here
Vehicles 4 Ukraine
We’re often asked:
• Why are we sending vehicles from the UK when there are vehicles available closer to Ukraine?
• What sort of vehicles do they want?
• What do they use them for?
Well, hopefully the following covers those queries. Most countries in Europe ARE sending vehicles anyway. If you know of suitable ones on our route we might be able to add them to our deliveries? The demand for vehicles is spiralling in line with the attacks on Ukraine. For example, the more injured there are the more that ambulances are needed. And those “ambulances” (in many cases they bear no resemblance to our shiny specialist ones in the UK) have to travel to a variety of locations due to hospitals being out of action. Linked to that there is an increased number of satellite medical units and they need vans and minibuses to move supplies and people between them. Cars are also needed – to transport doctors to where they are needed. Very sadly hearses are also in huge demand (which seems a very cold word to use in that situation) to give victims a dignified ride for their last few miles.
The vehicle type in highest demanded is, by far, the 4×4 pickup truck. Some roads are in such a bad condition (you think our potholes are bad!) that only a 4×4 can be used. Pickups are the most versatile as they can be used for carrying goods/injured people etc, and as Emergency Services vehicles after air strikes. Good old English right-hand drive vehicles are most sought after – not for the registration plate, but the practical advantage that Russian snipers tend to shoot at the left hand side thinking they will disable the vehicle by killing the driver.
Old vehicles are ideal to send, as Ukraine need maximum volume not ones with the latest “gizmos” on board. They would rather have 2 old vehicles than one newer one. Mostly they are mechanically reliable and when they “break” it’s not an engine or gearbox that’s gone, it’s due to a bullet or rocket fired by the Russians.
All the vehicles we buy are serviced and repaired before they leave the UK. They have to be in serviceable condition to be fair to our volunteer drivers who cross Europe in them (when they’re not taken on the back of a lorry) as well as for use in Ukraine. The cosmetic condition is not important, it just has to be mechanically sound already – or capable of being made so at reasonable cost.
The average cost to buy and repair a 4×4 pickup is £5,000.00, with another £500.00+ being spent to get it to Ukraine.
Want to make a donation please click here