Charity aid bus travels to Ukraine for evacuations

A yellow bus from Devon is en route to Ukraine as part of a humanitarian aid convoy, with plans for it to remain in the country to assist with evacuations.

The convoy, laden with supplies, departed from Stoke Gabriel on Wednesday morning. Richard Stout, who is driving the yellow bus, expressed his apprehension, recalling a previous attempt where the bus broke down. He will drive the vehicle to Poland, where Adam Stewart of Ukrainian Action Team Devon will take over, driving it to Kharkiv, Ukraine.

Stout, on his ninth trip to Ukraine with the charity, stated, "I'm really pleased our bus is going to support this cause and I can be part of that." The vehicles are carrying medical aid, power banks, and anti-drone netting, the latter donated by Brixham fishing crews.

The vehicles will also be utilized to evacuate residents from war zones. Stout commended the "incredibly brave people" who rescue elderly and disabled individuals from these regions. He shared a poignant observation from a previous visit: "Everybody you meet in Ukraine has lost someone or knows somebody that's been lost." He recounted witnessing mothers, wives, and children holding flags for fallen loved ones during Defender Day, describing it as "so heartbreaking to see."

With this latest convoy, Ukrainian Action Team Devon has now donated a total of 14 vehicles. This shipment includes an ambulance and a 4x4, intended for off-road use to aid civilians and soldiers in remote areas. Stout indicated that preparations for another convoy would commence at the end of October.