PICK-UPS FOR PEACE

A West Sussex vet is playing his part in a farmer-led campaign to get four-wheel drive vehicles out to support humanitarian efforts in Ukraine.

Matt Dobbs, from near Handcross, was one of the original Westpoint Farm Vets partners and has since set up Agsenze, which makes digital camera monitoring systems for livestock.

He is a friend of Vince Gillingham, who has a Ukrainian wife and is spearheading the mission to send 100 4x4s to the war-torn country alongside Mark Laird, who also has a strong connection to the country.

Around 40 drivers joined the first Pick-ups for Peace trip out to Ukraine, taking 22 vehicles to Lviv in Western Ukraine, where they are being used to ferry injured and dead soldiers from the front line to hospitals.

The vehicles, some donated and others funded by farmers clubbing together or raising money, take much needed supplies to the country but are then left there to be put to good use behind the front lines.

Matt Dobbs has played an active part in setting up the organisation, raising funds and finding drivers to help Pick-ups for Peace make its planned monthly trips to Ukraine with supplies and the vehicles themselves.

“Having seen the situation in Ukraine I felt desperately sorry for the people caught up in this conflict,” he said. “Regardless of politics it’s a humanitarian issue and I wanted to provide practical help.

“We are hugely grateful to the farming community for taking this initiative to heart and showing by their actions that they care about what has happened. I feel part of it is down to the empathy farmers here feel with the farmers in Ukraine whose lives have been turned upside down.”

Pick-ups for Peace is eager to hear from anyone who could donate an old pick-up or other 4x4 and/or money to help get the vehicles to Ukraine. Vehicles can be up to 15 years old and should have an MOT and good tyres. It costs around £1,200 to transport each vehicle and provide accommodation and transport to get the volunteer drivers back to the UK.

Volunteers on the most recent trip came from farming communities all around the UK, the youngest participant being 18 years old and the oldest 76.

Vince Gillingham said: “Ukraine is under attack, and they are desperately short of four-wheel-drive non-military vehicles which are crucial to get food and medicine to their troops. We have plenty of these vehicles in the UK.

“It is so inspiring to see the good in the people who have given their vehicles, time and money to this project. It gives you a lot of hope for the world to see an 18 year-old who has only just passed his test driving all the way to Ukraine.

“For most of our travelling companions it was their first visit, and it was remarkable to see how strong the cultural connections were. Our Ukrainian contacts could not believe that the UK farming community would do this for them. I urge anyone who can donate a vehicle or money to help us buy vehicles and pay other expenses for these missions to get in touch.” www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/help-cpg-ukraine