A LORRY carrying vital supplies donated by well-wishers in Oxfordshire has reached Ukraine.

Svetlana Wilson, a Ukrainian now living in Grove, near Wantage, was helped by South Central Ambulance Service (SCAS) staff to collect 50 tonnes of clothing, blankets, toiletries, baby products, first aid equipment, medicine and other much needed supplies for Ukraine.

After launching the appeal early last week, the truck arrived at the border town of Lviv on Saturday.

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SCAS staff at Didcot and Stoke Mandeville coordinated the appeal and said they had been overwhelmed with the level of donations received from within the ambulance service and local people and businesses in and around the area.

Kate Ellis, paramedic team leader at SCAS's Didcot Resource Centre, said: "We originally thought we should be able to get enough donations to fill a seven and a half tonne truck but the amount we have received has filled an HGV articulated lorry.

“My colleagues at SCAS never cease to amaze me as many of them came in on their days off to help sort and package all the donations we received at Didcot.

“Those on duty this week have also helped during their meal breaks as well as either come in early or stayed on after their shift ended to help out."

The generosity of staff donations was also matched by members of the public who dropped off supplies in Didcot and the collection point in Buckinghamshire.

Didcot’s Tesco store donated a large amount of over-the-counter medicines and baby milk and the Co-op petrol station, donated fuel for the HGV.

The team at Boundary Park in Great Western Park, kindly offered use of its storage and parking facilities for this first and future deliveries.

The local community has also been helped out by the donations as any food supplies that would not have cleared customs were given to Didcot Food Bank and Didcot Family Centre received similar child food.

The SCAS teams are working with Mrs Wilson and her husband Paul to pay for further lorries and fuel that will take much needed food, medication and other supplies to Ukrainian refugees.

The couple say they have been delighted by the level of support and the amount of donations. Mr Wilson said: “We have been amazed by people’s generosity. Thank you to everybody.

"If people can keep giving, we will be hundred percent keep attempting to get more aid to where it is needed the most.”

Secure online donations to support this local activity can be made at collectionpot.com/pot/1381223/

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