MEDICAL aid, food rations and six 4x4s that were sent to the Ukrainian military by volunteers from the Forest were gratefully received by soldiers in Kyiv earlier this month.

The huge amounts of aid sourced by local group Helping Ukraine Build Back (HUBB), which is based at Vantage Point Business Village in Mitcheldean, arrived in the city two weeks ago, having been loaded onto lorries at the Xite Racing yard in Whitecroft on Friday, April 1.

Pictures show the 4x4s being unloaded by Ukrainian soldiers to be transported to the areas of the country where they are needed most, as military servicemen and women continue to fiercely defend their country from advancing Russian forces.

Within two hours of arriving in Kyiv, one of the vehicles, which were sourced from the Mile High Trade Centre in Lydney, was sprayed khaki green for use on the front line, while another was sent to a unit in the port city of Odessa.

HUBB’s volunteer coordinator, Lance Morgan, says the group are well on their way to gathering enough donations to be able to send another batch of 4x4s, as well as further medical supplies and food packages, to the Ukrainian military.

Along with the vehicles, the group sent food packages containing dried meals, porridge sachets, protein bars, energy drinks and tea and coffee, as well as stoves, fuel and flints for cooking and water sterilisation tablets.

They also sent boxes of medical supplies including first aid and medical burns kits and tourniquets, along with sleeping bags and items of warm clothing such as sweatshirts, t-shirts and jackets.

The packages also contained practical items including tow ropes and jump leads, walkie talkies with batteries and charging packs for mobile phones.

Lance said the group are now looking for volunteers to help run their operations at their new office at Vantage Point, which has been supplied by its owner, Brian Bennett.

“We’re looking for people to help us source donations from corporate businesses so that we can continue sending the military aid which is needed - specifically 4x4s and medical supplies, especially tourniquets”, he said.

Shortages of medical supplies, including tourniquets, have been reported across Ukraine in recent weeks, and Lance says sourcing them is now key to the group’s operations.

“£3.50 gets us one tourniquet, which come from China, and roughly £3,000 will get us a 4x4, so we are targeting companies that can provide monetary donations so that we can continue to help”, Lance added.

Details of volunteer roles with the group can be found on their social media pages - HUBB Helping Ukraine Build Back on Facebook, @helpingukrainebuildback on Instagram, and @HelpUkraineBB on Twitter.

For more information about fundraising for the group, or to make a donation, email [email protected].