Norfolk churches back Ukraine aid mission
Churches across Norfolk have been supporting the efforts of Swaffham road haulier Scott Stone and partner Zoe Waites to take humanitarian aid to the front line in war-hit Ukraine. Gill Webster reports.
"When the war in Ukraine started in February 2022, we watched in horror," said Scott. “Then we heard that a local man, Ian Odgers, was looking for a trailer for the public to drop off donations, and which could then be taken to the Ukrainian Embassy in London.”
The couple volunteered and it snowballed from there. They were contacted by Dorota Darnell who had co-founded the Polonia Group in Norwich and who asked that all items be taken to Poland. The first trip taken by Scott was on March 1. The image of mothers' and babies on television meant that the first container was filled with clothing, blankets and hundreds of packets of nappies and sanitary wear.
"It rolled from there. I started going direct to Kiev taking medical aid, electrical items, as well as the other stuff. Good food and medicine are in very short supply unless you have money. And the ordinary people and soldiers don't have money.
"I have been eleven times now and over that period I have seen small towns and villages decimated and turned to rubble. People killed and those that have survived living underground as best they can. Children living with grandparents as fathers have gone to fight, many of whom are probably now dead, and mothers who are either helping with the war effort or who also have been killed.”
Corruption is endemic but Scott now has learned who he can trust. He has taken six loads to Kiev but now goes directly to the front line at Odessa, Khershon and other places in the Donbas regions. He unloads his container and transfers items to small vans and then delivers where items are needed.
Scott and partner Zoë are passionate in what they are doing and want to do more. Initially they self-funded the journeys but now more people are getting to know about it and are fund-raising or just giving money, although there is always a short-fall. Many Rotary Clubs in Norfolk have raised money to help them, and have also supplied items for Scott to take with him.
Many organisations and churches also did collections and he received a lot of sanitary towels (used as dressings) and medication from the Salvation Army at Mile Cross, Norwich as well as support from Our Lady of the Annunciation in Poringland and St Mary Magdalen on Silver Road. Norwich, also from churches in and around Swaffham.
Zoë's job is collecting everything and doing all the essential paperwork, otherwise Scott wouldn't get into Ukraine and be allowed to cross the country as he does regularly.
You can contact them on 07824 505670, at enquiries@waitesandstones.co.uk or visit: waitesandstones.co.uk
Pictured above are Scott and Zoe. Picture by Gill Webster.