Fleet of vans set to drive from West Sussex to deliver aid to Ukraine

More than 30 vehicles are preparing to drive from Midhurst to the Ukraine/Poland border as volunteers organised a convoy of aid last night.
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Generous West Sussex residents met at The Swan Inn pub in Midhurst last night (Monday, February 28) after the pub's owner appealed for volunteers to drive vital aid to refugees in Poland.

The scheme was set up amid the outbreak of war in Ukraine after Russia invaded last week.

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Volunteers sought to drive humanitarian aid to Ukrainian families
People met at The Swan Inn last night following the appeal for humanitarian aidPeople met at The Swan Inn last night following the appeal for humanitarian aid
People met at The Swan Inn last night following the appeal for humanitarian aid
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Digby Furneaux, owner of pub, said: "It was absolutely amazing for an idea I came up with yesterday morning. I thought it would be a few mates but 50 people turned up last night."

Among the attendees were a number of people from up and down the country who attended via Zoom, including from Leicester and London.

As many as 30 people have now volunteered to drive a van to deliver goods and HGV lorries are being lent to the cause as well as the support of two HVG drivers.

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Digby added: "I'm looking for as much as we can get from fundraising."

A specific list of sought donations is being written up by the group, which has named itself Ukraine Sunflower Aid.

One obstacle the group has faced is how to bring goods across the borders.

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Brexit now means that customs declarations are needed in order to import the goods to the EU but Digby has said the group is considering purchasing them in France before continuing to Poland.

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