A TOWING and transport firm in York is delivering donations to Ukrainian refugees in Poland.

EGL are driving a fleet of two vans, two trailers, two 4x4 vehicles and 10 shipping containers to the Ukrainian- border city of Katowice, Poland, to deliver donations to the refugees fleeing the Russian invsion of Ukraine.

The eight drivers are fundraising an estimated total cost of £14,000 to fund the ferry and fuel prices to drive to Poland and back, due to set off on Sunday, March 20.

To help towards their goal and to raise more money for Ukraine, the team are embarking on a sponsored canoe trail of the Caledonian canal along the Great Glen trail in Inverness in April, fundraising via Go Fund Me.

York Press:

EGL's MD, Steve Pep, said: "I was contacted by John McGall, who owns I am Reusable, the homeless charity in York, and had organised local collection points in Strensall.

"He asked if we would deliver a van of donations for the Ukrainian refugees to a loading point in Leeds who would then go onto take them to Ukraine - we sometimes collect food for the food banks for them, so we were his first point of call.

"But when we got to Leeds, we found they were full, as was the case in Doncaster, Easingwold, and Thirsk - they all said they were too full of donations.

"So then we then decided to take the donations straight to the refugees ourselves.

"We are used to long distance driving for work, but this is into the unknown."

One of the eight drivers who volunteered has a partner who is Polish, and they were then able to organise a contact to drop off the donations in Katowice town hall, a Polish city on the border with Ukraine, who are hosting 300 Ukrainian families.

York Press:

The items donated including washing and hygiene products, baby products such as nappies and creams, winter jackets, food, bedding, and first aid equipment.

Steve said: "Around 90 per cent of the refugees are female and children as the men have had to stay behind to fight, so the donations have had those needs in mind.

"I have four children under the age of seven, so seeing the baby products really tugged at my heart strings.

"Some of those delivering donations are going to the border and having to leave huge piles of donations in hopes that someone will collect them as they don't have a contact once they get there."

To support EGL on their canoe trail and raise more funds for Ukraine, visit their Go Fund Me page.