Retired Northumberland Vet Sets Off On 21st Humanitarian Mission To Ukraine With Support From The LGA Foundation

On Tuesday 4th August, retired Northumberland veterinary surgeon will begin his 21st humanitarian mission to Ukraine, delivering two much-needed vehicles and vital supplies to communities still living with the devastating impact of war.

Graeme Reavley, 68, from Bowsden near Berwick-upon-Tweed, will set off with a team of volunteers bound for Ukraine, where the vehicles will be handed over to local charity Auto Angels to support people affected by the ongoing conflict. The mission has been supported by the LGA Foundation, which has provided £14,000 across two rounds of funding to help Graeme continue his extraordinary humanitarian work.

Graeme first travelled to Ukraine three and a half years ago with the charity Pick Up for Peace. What began as a single trip has grown into a long-term commitment to supporting Ukrainian communities, building trusted relationships with local volunteers who know exactly where help is needed most.

One of those volunteers is Denis, a Ukrainian farmer and member of Auto Angels. While his wife and eight-year-old son crossed the border to safety, Denis has remained in Ukraine coordinating the paperwork and logistics needed to get donated vehicles into the country and directly to the organisations that need them. Over time, the types of vehicles requested have changed.

Speaking about the project, Graeme said, “At the beginning, four-wheel drives were desperately needed closer to the front line, now there’s a growing need for crew vans and minibuses to transport people who have been injured or displaced by the war, including people who have lost limbs and need wheelchair-accessible transport.”

This latest convoy includes a crew van and a pick-up truck, both made possible through generous donations. Funds raised cover the purchase of the vehicles – now typically costing £3,000–£4,000 each and becoming increasingly difficult to source – as well as ferry crossings and fuel. All other costs are covered personally.

Joining Graeme on the journey are three volunteer drivers and a student, who will experience first-hand the realities of the humanitarian effort. The team will travel from Hull to Rotterdam before driving through Germany to the Polish-Ukrainian border. Border crossing times can vary dramatically, from just a couple of hours to more than ten, before the vehicles continue to their final destinations inside Ukraine.

Alongside the vehicles, the convoy will carry clothing, generators, books and medical supplies. Previous trips have also delivered power packs, candles, bicycles and other essential items depending on the needs identified by partners on the ground.

“Everything we take finds a home,” said Graeme. “There’s an incredible network of people working together to make sure donations get to those who need them most. So many people have lost absolutely everything.”

Reflecting on the ongoing need for support, Graeme added, “The Ukrainians are incredibly grateful for the help they receive, but they need that help more than ever.”

Graeme’s commitment over the past three and a half years has been nothing short of remarkable. Twenty-one journeys into a war zone is an extraordinary act of compassion and determination.

Alina, a young person from Kyiv affected by the conflict said, “You may have heard about my city in the recent news because of the massive missile strikes every week. Unfortunately, my district is considered one of the most dangerous, and every time I think it could be the last time, but we still live, help each other, and pray to God!

“I met Graeme and his mission very unexpectedly. My best friend was showing him around Kyiv and asked me to join the trip. It was a pleasure to share Ukrainian culture with the mission. It’s very important to bring vehicles to Ukraine. I was raising money for a pickup truck for my father’s brigade. Russia killed him just before we reached 75% of the fundraising goal. I had nobody left to buy the car for. Every Ukrainian has lost something in this war. But we haven’t lost hope.”

At the LGA Foundation we believe in supporting people who are making a tangible difference to the lives of others and Graeme’s work demonstrates the incredible impact that one person, supported by a community, can have.

We wish Graeme and the whole team a safe journey and thank them for everything they are doing to support the people of Ukraine.

To support Graeme and find out more about getting involved in the project email graemereavley@hotmail.co.uk

To find out more about how we can support your organisation, visit https://lga-foundation.org/apply-now/