A Holbeach St Marks woman is in Ukraine to witness the effect of the ‘community miracle’ that is South Holland’s help for the country.
Mandy Baxter stopped working as a reablement carer in March after her Boxes of Hope got bigger.
It’s become a huge operation at the Anglia Motel in Fleet helping collect, sort and organise delivery of much needed items to those fleeing Russia’s invasion.
And after talking to the Ukrainians that have arrived in the UK, she wanted to make the trip herself, as they had done, on the bus.
Staying in the Lviv region, she’s experienced the air raid sirens, the makeshift bomb shelters in regular use, military hospitals and worked with the orphans fleeing fighting currently concentrated in the east of the country.
“I wanted to experience a snippet into the lives of the Ukrainians that we are desperately trying to help at the moment,” she said. “The bus was truly harrowing. The heat was overwhelming, the cramped conditions, the cries from children and the stench of vomit from travel sickness is an experience that I will never forget.
“The driver desperately tried to fit as many people in the bus as these were people re-entering Ukraine after failing to obtain either sponsorship in another country or running out of funds and having no option but to return to the place that they spent, in some occasions, weeks trying to escape.
“When we arrived at the border I sensed the feeling of complete uncertainty and apprehension about what was awaiting them.
“It was emotionally overwhelming but I had to be respectful towards the people on the bus and show no emotion. How could I even understand?
“I kept thinking about the two sisters I had met who are settled in Frampton who had travelled seven weeks across Ukraine with their four children to get to safety in the UK.”
Mandy says that the realisation that she was in a war zone came on her first night in Lviv when the air raid sirens went off and she had to find one of the makeshift bomb centres.
It’s one of the many incidents catalogued on the Boxes of Hope Facebook page.
“It will stick with me for the rest of my life,” she said of hearing the sirens going. “It went on for two hours and even after, I couldn’t settle. I was gazing out the window and jumping at every noise.”
She’s been working with Josh Yarwood, an emergency co-ordinator for Ukraine Aid, who have been handing out the Boxes of Hope.
They’ve visited a number of schools set up as temporary orphanages and their bomb shelters.
“You couldn’t imagine anything like this in the UK with buckets for toilets and water on the floor,” Mandy said. “But it’s their new normal and it could happen in the UK.
“Seeing a mini bus of children who are orphans from the war leaving to go to foster parents in Germany will stay with me forever.
“They were waiting for another bus from Mariupol to arrive and the gym area of the school will be their home.”
She says the trip has helped her to understand the enormity of the situation with around 15 million people displaced.
And it’s also allowed her to see first hand where the packages made up in Fleet go.
“It was humbling and overwhelming. Seeing them going out is an incredible thing.
“I so want the people of South Holland and all who have donated to understand what they have achieved.
“This is a community miracle.”
Mandy was supposed to make the journey back on Monday, but couldn’t bring herself to leave those working in the country behind.
“There’s always someone you can help and before you know it you’ve helped three people.
“So many need things.
“One of my desires when I arrive back to Boxes of Hope will be to raise funding for a couple of aid vans that will be used to transport aid around Ukraine.
“These vans will have the Boxes of Hope logo on them for clear identification as an aid vehicle.
“This whole trip has been life-changing. Donations are still very much needed.”
