Corby community humanitarian aid truck leaves for war zone

One of the pallets of aid that were sent from Corby

An articulated lorry fully loaded with baby food, medicines, and warm clothes donated by the people of Corby has left the town bound for Ukraine via Poland. Five of the pallets on board contained the generous donations handed over to a stall in Corby town centre in a fortnight-long effort. The aid has been labelled with a message to the Ukrainian people ‘Oakley Vale Community Association supports Ukraine’.

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Each box had to be labelled to pass through customs

Aid co-ordinator Paul Balmer, chairman of Oakley Vale Community Association, said: “It was a very moving moment as this articulated monster exited our Willow Place warehouse and past the Saxon Crown.

“The elderly Polish driver had spoken with passion of the three million refugees in his country and went way beyond his job spec to help in any way he could to get this much-needed aid on the road to Ukraine. He should arrive Monday.” The Oakley Vale Community has decided to donate the GBP2,000 raised to the Charitable Foundation of the Family of Christ at Ukraine based in the Zakarpattia region.

Mr Balmer added: “A huge thank to Willow Place, to all the volunteers and above all to those who gave so generously. Julia whose grandmother and cousins are still in Ukraine said ‘it’s a drop in the ocean’, but as the lorry left it felt like a big drop – somewhere in war torn Ukraine a baby might soon sleep, well fed and warm.

The truck leaves Corby with the humanitarian aid

“Thank you, Corby. I was very moved by the thought of a baby somewhere in war torn Ukraine having a hand knitted blanket from Corby.

“Corby people are amazing.”