Ensignbus, well known for its emergency rail replacement work, has undertaken a rather longer emergency job, setting off to Ukraine with specifically requested medical aid.
The idea came about when the Latvian group Legenda, which recovers missing soldiers from WW1 and WW2 on the eastern front and which Ensign Director Steve Newman is a long time active member of, launched a campaign to send aid. With members from all over the world, the group looked to its international members to get involved as well. Its UK team was formed of Operations Director Ross Newman, Steve Newman and Head of International Membership for Legenda Matt McDermott.
The UK vehicle was the fifth such delivery to arrive from the group with two previously coming from Latvia, one from Holland and one from Switzerland. Ensignbus arranged the vehicle and all the logistical support, whilst the medical aid was provided by Legend and Hope for Ukraine UK. The team left on Wednesday 16 March and arrived in Prezmysl on Friday 18, where the aid was unloaded onto a waiting Ukrainian truck and moved onwards to Lviv later that day. By Monday morning the items were at the Dnipro distribution centre before being transferred to local delivery vehicles to go into Kyiv or to nearby hospitals treating the wounded that have been able to escape Mariupol.
Commenting on the trip Steve Newman said “It’s felt like the very least we could do but will certainly not be the last help we look to give. We have spoken to our Ukrainian friends and are in direct contact now with them as to what they need and where it needs to be and will see how we can make this happen as efficiently as possible going forwards.”
