CHARITY CORNER
CORNWALL CABBIE IS NOW PLANNING HIS FOURTH UKRAINE REFUGEES AID MISSION
Taxi company owner Darren Tait is now back in St Ann’s Chapel, Cornwall, after his third mission taking aid to Poland – and this time he has brought a Ukrainian refugee family of five back with him and is already planning another aid mission. Speaking to the Cornish Times after his return at the end of April, Darren said over the last few weeks in preparation for the trip, there were fundraising concerts and quizzes, and a huge effort across Devon and Cornwall to collect essential items for those who have fled their homes in Ukraine, from mattresses and sleeping bags to toiletries and toys. Since Darren first decided, a few days into the conflict, that he wanted to take a van-load of aid to refugees, the “Cornwall Sending Love to Ukraine” project has grown wings. There is now a website:
www.sendinglovetoukraine.org and a network of drop-off points for donations, with the main collection point at Pensilva. On the day before the trip, volunteers came together at the unit in Pensilva to pack up the vehicles. Speaking on the day, Darren said: “These vans are testimony to the kindness, generosity and commitment from the people of Devon and Cornwall. “To everyone who has donated, acted as a drop off, helped sort and load at the unit, and the drivers setting out
Darren Tait JUNE 2022
tomorrow, we send you the biggest thank you ever. “Without you all we would not be going. Without you this aid would not be reaching these people in such need.” The convoy set off on Thursday, April 14, for the Dover ferryport, and then travelled through Germany, stopping for the night at Poznan in western Poland, then on to Warsaw. Once in the Polish capital they found there were around 50 people waiting for them who applauded and cheered the 13 vehicles as they arrived. Local people then started immediately unloading the vehicles so the supplies could be taken to the Ukrainian refugees in need as soon as possible. Once the items in Darren’s convoy had been checked, the Polish supplies operation was now so efficient that they heard they had already reached the Ukrainian refugees who needed it by next day. Darren added that he was glad to have brought the Ukrainian refugee family back with him to St Ann’s Chapel but felt frustrated that some other refugees he had hoped to bring to England had had to be left behind due to the delays in the UK visas system. The generosity shown by people in Cornwall and Devon in supply- ing items to take for Ukrainian refugees in Poland has left Darren feeling lucky to live in a wonderful country with wonderful people – and he was so grateful to those who had volunteered to drive in his convoys and had even personally borrowed or hired the vehicles taking part in the aid
missions. He said they included not only taxi drivers like himself but also college professors, a nurse, builders and people from all walks of life. A total of 29 vehicles had now been in his three convoys to Poland and there would soon be a 30th as he was now beginning to plan his next aid trip. According to Darren: “It’s full steam ahead with our next aid mission. We will be leaving on 31 May going through to Warsaw. “If you have a large van and you’ve got the time from May 31 to June 5, then please get in touch. Come to the unit and talk it over with us. Let’s make this the biggest mission yet. Please bear in mind this is over the Queen’s Jubilee weekend but we don’t think the Queen would mind - I really don’t, we’ve not checked it out with her but maybe we’ll drop her a line and ask.” Darren added that those wishing to donate items or offer help in other ways could contact him via Darren’s Cars Facebook or see his Go Fund Me page at:
https://www.gofundme.com/f/cornwall- and-devon-sending-love-to-ukraine
At the time of going to press £13,860 of the page’s current £15,000 target had already been raised.
57
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90
