Two men from Wolverhampton are aiming to raise £7,000 to purchase a truck and drive it to Ukraine to assist with transporting wounded frontline soldiers to hospitals.
Steve Morris, 64, and Brian Gunter, 58, plan to embark on the 1,300-mile journey to Lviv in late September as part of a convoy organised by the charity Driving Ukraine. The trip is currently targeted to begin on 23 September. The pair previously travelled to the region in 2022, using Gunter’s work van to deliver thousands of small items and roughly £10,000 worth of goods to the Ukrainian border with the help of supporters in the West Midlands.
This time, after leaving the truck with the Ukrainian army for medical evacuations, the two men intend to return home by train. Morris explained that the vehicle will be used to transport wounded soldiers to a hospital after they are initially brought from the battlefield by remote-controlled rescue vehicles to a safe location where they can receive first aid from medics.
The initiative was inspired by personal connections to the conflict. Gunter encountered Ukrainians while participating in European combat competitions known as buhurt, and both men know individuals who have died fighting in the war.
The pair will share the driving responsibilities for the three-day trip. In addition to raising funds for the truck, they anticipate launching an appeal for fresh supplies closer to their departure date.
