Harborough district volunteers are undergoing their 1,300-mile mission of mercy to help deliver aid to Ukrainian refugees

Cyclists from Harborough are today (Friday) well into their epic 1,300-mile mission of mercy to Poland delivering vital aid to Ukrainian refugees.

A team from Kibworth Easy Riders had just crossed the German border in to Poland by 11am today after setting off from Market Harborough just after midnight yesterday.

Keen cyclists Keith Low, Mark Evans and Simon Hargreaves along with volunteer Ben Poulter are ferrying two packed van-loads of critical supplies to men, women and children fleeing war-devastated Ukraine.

The four-strong team are heading to Zamosc, about 55 miles from Lublin and less than 40 miles from the border with Ukraine where thousands of exhausted refugees are seeking shelter.

Talking to the Harborough Mail this morning, Mark, of Market Harborough, said: “We got 800 miles done yesterday sharing the driving 2 per van.

“We’ve just entered Poland and so far so good.

“The two vans are fully loaded to absolute capacity but fortunately we managed to get everybody’s kind donations in.

“Massive thanks to staff at TGW for receiving the goods, ‘System Edstrom Corby’ for providing a much-needed second van, volunteers who helped loading and ‘OnTrack Couriers’ for providing fuel,” said Mark.

“Lastly those donating to just giving, which will go to support humanitarian aid at the border once assessed by the team.

“We plan on staying two days out in Poland to use our vans to maximum advantage.”

Saluting an army of hugely-generous local donors, Market Harborough-based logistics firm TGW told the Mail: “We knew we would receive quite a few donations.

“But nothing prepared us for the overwhelming generosity and kindness of the public and commercial support we have received.

“Not only in physical donations but in monetary donations too.

“Elderly ladies delivering home knitted woolly hats and primary school children sending a comforting toy with a hand written note to the child who will receive it.

“Donations alone for pet supplies nearly filled a meeting room, we guess it probably weighed in the region of 2 tonnes,” said TGW.

“These items have since been taken to a company in Northampton who were specifically dealing with pet supplies where it will be palletised, shipped and distributed once at the border.

“Keith Low, Mark Evans and Simon Hargreaves of Kibworth Easy Riders and Ben Poulter who delivered a donation on the 13th March and ended up offering his time and van to go with Keith to take the much-needed emergency supplies are the drivers and co-drivers of the two vans.”

Keith, Mark, Simon and Ben will drop off the goods to support refugees.

Armed with an impressive £3,500 donated by local people, they will then buy supplies the refugees need most at supermarkets in Zamosc.

“We also want to recognise the incredible support from both volunteers at TGW and their partners and their children and members of Kibworth Easy Riders.

“They have worked late in the evenings and at the weekends receiving donations and helping to sort through bags and boxes to get it all in some kind of order,” said TGW.

You can get behind the Kibworth Easy Riders campaign here: https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/kerukraine