Humanitarian mission from Oldham to the Ukraine border

Ukrainian refugees at the Polish border

Two kind-hearted businessmen from Oldham are to make a journey to Ukraine to directly help the humanitarian mission.

Anthony Foster and Ralph Radford from Ralph's Carpets on Abbey Hey Road are appealing for essential items to bring to the Poland/Ukraine border in their company van.

The pair are self-funding the 1400-mile journey, which is expected to take two days.

"We intend to fill our van with as many essentials as we can to distribute to the people of Ukraine," Anthony told The Chronicle.

"We have no immediate family in the Ukraine, but we just feel we need to do something to help Ukrainians who have been forced from their homes due to the war."

Anthony and Ralph are asking for the following items

• Baby/children's clothes (New)
• Warm thermals
• Nappies/bottles/dummies
• Sleeping bags
• Hats and gloves
• Soap, deodorants
• Torches
• Power banks
• Soft toys

The items can be dropped off at their shop at 356 abbey Hills Road, OL8 2DH.

As well as taking donations themselves, the pair have set up a GoFundMe page, if you wish to donate PLEASE CLICK HERE

All the money donated will go towards purchasing additional items in Poland, as Anthony and Ralph are paying their own expenses on the trip.

The trip comes as the UN say more than three million people have now fled Ukraine because of the Russian invasion, almost two million into Poland, with most refugees travelling to neighbouring European countries.

In countries bordering Ukraine, refugees can stay in reception centres where they are given food and medical care, and information about onward travel.

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