Our trucks don’t go to Ukraine empty.  We have partnered with a number of donors in the UK and US to transport their humanitarian supplies to Lviv, from where our local partners distribute the aid all over the country.  Transporting aid into Ukraine isn’t straightforward or cheap, and we provide an easy (and free!) solution for donors.  What is remarkable about these donors is that many of them are businesses with no prior experience in the humanitarian sector, but they, like us, have mobilised to help the people of Ukraine.

This is the story of Clive, of Brace Orthopaedic in the UK:

"Like many people witnessing Russia’s invasion of Ukraine every day on the television, I was at first horrified and then felt an overwhelming need to do something to help.

At first, I thought about the more obvious things like food and clothes, but then realised that there would inevitably be a significant need for the type of products my business specialises in distributing - Orthotics.  This is a generic term for the braces, splints and supports used in the medical industry, which cover all parts of the body – immobilising or supporting the bony structure in need.

Initially this response was incredibly DIY (I guess like most peoples) and I would simply ask around contacts in the industry and receive some donations of unwanted or spare devices.  Having successfully made contact with the official channels responsible for handling such devices on arrival in Ukraine, the biggest problem was getting them there.  This involved numerous phone calls, usually to find Ukrainians living in the UK who were coordinating some kind of response and getting goods out there.  So, every time I had enough donations, I would hire a van and drive it to London and then hand them over to such groups for onward travel to the Emergency Medical Services in Lviv.

However, as time went on, I was struggling to find a consistent and reliable path to get these goods to Ukraine, which is when I was introduced to Chris and Tom of Liberty Trucks Ukraine.  Everything changed at that moment, as they had a tried and tested regular run out to Lviv.  This meant I could simply focus on getting the donations, knowing that whatever I received would get to where it needed to be.

So, # Orthotics to Ukraine was born and I used my extensive network in the UK Orthotic industry to promote what I was doing and ask for donations.  The response has been and continues to be both incredible and humbling.  Everything from the larger companies sending multiple pallets of goods to individual members of the public mailing me Orthotics that their children have grown out of, but are still in good working use.

Throughout this conflict we have managed to send 3 – 6 boxes of Orthotics on average a week, which would have been impossible without the extraordinary work Chris, Tom and many others are doing.

I am pleased to say my warehouse is still full of Orthotic product donations, so with the help of Liberty Trucks I will keep sending them for as long as there is a need.

Clive Mitchell, Brace Orthopaedic

# Orthotics to Ukraine  "