Ex Church Stretton 'Ring & Ride' bus - trip to Ukraine aid mission

With help from the brilliant local community, friends, former work colleagues from RAC, Mayfair Community Trust and a generous donation from Novuna Vehicle Solutions, we had managed to raise funds to buy the vehicle and thanks to an amazing fund raising event hosted by Paul on Friday the 21st, Paul being the inspiration behind so many of the previous trips made to Ukraine, we had raised enough to cover the costs and contingency to travel the 2000 miles (circa 3000 km) to the east of Ukraine and to achieve our goal of delivering the mini bus, plus the aid.

On Thursday, just ahead of our departure we had a late concern as the air suspension seemed to be faulty, it had the potential to delay the trip if not resolved. Central Garage, Church Stretton did a great job and had a look on Friday for us. It was going to be a judgement call in truth, we had a choice to take a little weight off the bus and hope it held up as we crossed Europe or replace the whole suspension, and that could take a few weeks! We chose to jettison some weight and go for it, hoping that the Ukrainian charity could get the aid on time, a risk, but one we had to take.

Saturday morning saw us remove about three quarters of a ton of aid that will now go to Ukraine in a month or so. And that meant the suspension could cope and we were underway. Our route would take us via Folkestone and the tunnel. We passed the RAC building on the M6 and saluted them, as so many ex-colleagues had pledged money for this trip, thanks to all. (You’ll laugh but we had to buy two AA hi viz jackets at Folkestone!! To meet French drivers’ laws, sorry !!)

We drove to Germany that day, but we could see the air suspension was not behaving, the air compressor would not turn off, so we had to disconnect the battery every time we stopped.

We had no time for a sleep in a hotel that day as delays on the tunnel and the suspension problems had put us behind schedule, but we managed a couple of hours rest in the van. Paul fashioned himself a bed out of the boxes of protein bars we had on board (13800 bars to be precise) I took the more traditional route and slept in the front seat.

Day two we set off early at 3.30am to claw back time and were doing very well, until 5km from the Polish border, when the suspension decided to retire on us and the back end dropped badly making it impossible to drive.

The next chapter should give all of us great hope in humanity as seeing our plight, locals gathered to help us. I knew from my RAC days we could repair this temporarily, and thanks to Ring and Rides resident genius Rob Edwards who helped me via FaceTime locate where to put the chocks of wood, which were gifted to us, it worked perfectly and supported the weight of the van and kept it from damaging the tires. The same three amazing lorry drivers helped us find some local help, meaning we were able to drive to a local mechanic who despite it being a Sunday replaced the wood i had fitted with rubber bushes from a lorry and we were back on the road again.

Providing we drove carefully we could still make it. Nursing the bus through Poland into Ukraine we finally got to the outskirts of Kiev later the next day. Kiev was where we planned our first stop in Ukraine.

Our aid and the minibus were heading to a small town 15 miles from Russia and the front line, a further day’s drive away in the Sumy region. However, the Ukrainian team/ charity that facilitated this arrangement were in Kiev and as we were staying there we had the chance to meet them and enjoy a coffee. They want to pass on their heartfelt thanks to all who support this venture as it makes a real difference to everyone in Ukraine. I think this could be the first of many such contacts with this team, so it was important to meet them.

We had arrived in Kiev late on Monday 23rd, a day that had seen some of the worst attacks in that area for some time, very early on that day, just before dawn, wave after wave of drones and missiles were launched at Kiev, despite valiant air defences it left nine dead and many injured.

We thankfully were able to rest up safely in a stockade just outside the city, sharing the evening with other volunteers who had come from as far away as California and South Africa. everyone sharing one goal to support this amazing country and its wonderful people. My travelling companion Paul is so well respected and connected in the country, we were treated very well and kindly, allowed to stay in their volunteer's community at no cost, and in peace after a trying day. Despite Russia attacking heavily in the morning, as we went to our beds you were reminded of the challenges faced by civilians every night as away in the distance over the city further explosions could be heard again.

Leaving early the next morning we headed east to our destination. As you travel further in this direction not only do you appreciate the scale of Ukraine, but you see the impact of warfare. Shelled buildings, bullet holes in signs and walls, shot up military hardware from both sides as well as more subtle things like road signs being blanked out by the locals to confuse the invaders in 2022. And most poignantly you see the fresh graves of the fallen dressed in flowers and flags in every village town and city, it’s hopelessly sad to think of the loss of life in this war.

Despite these things, I am beginning to love this country, it’s only my third trip and it truly has its hooks into me. Apart from one major thing, the roads!! We had no rear suspension for the 1000 miles we still had left to complete over indescribably bad roads; I will never complain about Shropshire’s potholes ever again! Cars and lorries stagger and swerve down the roads making violent and frequent changes in direction to avoid the worst of the cavernous pits, but you can’t miss them all! And we found our share but amazingly our repair held fast.

Finally, and later than our hosts expected we limped into a small frontier town called Okhtyrka. This town had been invaded in 2022, early in the war and has to date lost over 400 of its residents killed in the fighting, the town is no bigger than Oswestry or Ludlow. Many buildings are destroyed and damaged, one such example was an old warehouse used as a temporary barracks, 100 soldiers perished in a huge bomb strike.

But amazingly life goes on, every aspect of the town still functions thanks to its impressive people. In the early days some left to go west to safety, but many have returned despite the ongoing risks. As an example of this danger the Russians shelled the Ukrainian army positions on the day we arrived, this was on the edge of this small town, thankfully no one was injured on this occasion.

We were enthusiastically met by the local Ukrainian orthodox priest, his family and his congregation. They are taking on the minibus and the aid. We were greeted in the most beautiful church, still intact despite so much damage all around.

If we ever question what we are doing by supporting this type of mission, and does it make any difference to the people who receive it? Well let me offer an answer; that despite the relatively small scale of our efforts compared to what’s needed in totality, the fact that people from the UK and other places are interested to give their thoughts, prayers, money and time is so huge for all the Ukrainians we meet. The biggest benefit we can give might be to let them know that they are not alone, other people in far off places like Shropshire and the UK really give a damn and are prepared to help.

I will never be able to demonstrate this well enough in my own words, but perhaps the appreciation they have for the British people that helped make this happen on this day was brought home by what they did next….

In 2022 on the day Russian tanks and soldiers entered this small town and started to attack its people and the fabric of their community, blowing up all public buildings and taking many lives. Standing defiantly in the middle of the town is this amazing church and just outside the church is a huge Ukrainian flagpole. It was flying the proud colours of Ukraine in the middle of the battle; we were shown a photograph of this scene with Russian tanks just feet away from the flag and church. The priest rescued this flag not wanting it to fall into the wrong hands, no doubt at great danger to himself and he hid it safely in the crypt for three years, until today. To our amazement and utter disbelief, they presented this incredible symbol of their resistance and resilience to us, as a sign of their gratitude. Paul and I are not ashamed to say that we were both overcome with emotion. And despite us insisting the flag should stay with them, they would not hear of it. So, we have it now, this precious symbol and it will be an honour to look after this flag in Shropshire, hopefully one day it can return to their little town and take pride of place, next to the church when this dark period is all over and Ukraine is free again.

They plan to use the minibus we delivered to support some of the villages that are located even nearer the front line, bringing the vulnerable and disabled residents into town for clinics, hospitals and sometimes even evacuating people from harm’s way. They also plan to support an orphanage which is situated near the front line as well. Amazing work and dangerous for all concerned. We’d seen the reality of this danger the previous night in our volunteer’s stockade near Kiev where the shell of a similar vehicle was lying broken in the yard after it was hit in during an attack whilst carrying out its vital work. I am sure our community in Church Stretton who have enjoyed the use of the minibus for so many years could not be happier to think that it will continue to serve people, even more so that many of the people it now serves have a much greater need.

Now just in case you think we might have planned to leave a minibus with broken suspension with them unresolved, thankfully you would be wrong. The money you donated allowed us to pay for the repair in full and hopefully also to leave the town with some money left. Hopefully to replace some of the food aid we left behind due to the weight, so a huge thank you again for your generosity. In true Ukrainian style, the minibus was already in the garage and parts were ordered the day we left, I am sure we will be able to update you all with its progress as it starts a new life supporting Ukraine.

Not much more to be said for now, the trip home is long and sometimes challenging but it allows you the time to reflect on the experience. It makes you thankful for the people you have met along the way who are all life enriching. You also worry about what might become of the country, the little town, the priest, his family and congregation who are directly in harm’s way with little sign of things getting better anytime soon. It weighs heavy the more time I think of it, but there’s a massive contraction and a reason for hope and it’s this, despite the impossible situation they are in, the people seem amazingly optimistic, brave and resilient, it’s an incredible spirit and hard to comprehend, don’t get me wrong there is more than enough sadness and despair but I see hope in so many, it’s inspiring . It’s partly why I am falling in love with this place and why my hero Paul, the expedition leader who has just made his 29th trip, it’s why I know that he will be longing to get back out there again very soon, much as I do.

A few thank-yous if I may, closer to home, to the people of Shropshire who punch well above your weight to support us, the Mayfair Community Trust for their generosity, friends at RAC and Novuna Vehicle Solutions who were all so generous. My thanks to Paul for his inspiration and leadership and for putting up with me for six days in a very small space with sparse/no access to showers!! And to my family who allow me to go, it’s not easy for them and I am so grateful.

I hope to keep you all posted on the ventures of our old ‘Ring and Ride’ bus in the future, it served us well as I know she will continue to do going forward.

If you feel compelled to continue your support, that would be amazing, if you can please donate on the link or contact me or Paul directly.

Thanks for supporting Paul and I and for making this all possible.

By Phil Ryan