Kingswear ferryman Cliff Taylor is preparing to make his 12th humanitarian aid trip to help people affected by the war in Ukraine.

Supported by Torbay Rotary Clubs, Cliff will set off on Friday, December 4, as part of a convoy of seven vans carrying essential supplies.

He is appealing for donations to help cover the £1,600 cost of funding the van for the journey.

Cliff first became involved in the aid missions more than four years ago after a chance encounter with a friend.

He explained: “I bumped into my friend Steve McAvoy in Kingswear, and he told me he was involved in taking aid to Ukraine.

“I said I’d be interested and we set off on our first trip in July 2022.”

The missions are organised by Cornwall and Devon Sending Love to Ukraine, which transports humanitarian supplies to a warehouse on the outskirts of Warsaw, Poland.

There, the volunteers are met by drivers and helpers, around 90 per cent of whom are Ukrainian, who take the supplies across the border for distribution.

The aid is delivered to frontline hospitals, orphanages and other organisations supporting people affected by the conflict.

The group raises money through donations, sponsorship and fundraising events, including a recent tombola and cake raffle in Galmpton.

Cliff said the volunteers prioritise medical supplies, baby essentials and personal hygiene products rather than general clothing.

He explained: “We have to take into account the weight of the vehicle, and we load whatever aid we've got, be it medical, not so much clothing, but generally baby items, anything to do with a baby-nappies, formula milk, baby clothes; people have knitted baby blankets, which is absolutely beautiful.

“Anything to do with personal hygiene gets taken across, anything to do with young mums, sanitary stuff.”

While most volunteers deliver their supplies to Poland, some travel directly into Ukraine.

Paul Shortland and Simon Cassidy, both based in Cornwall, are also involved with the charity.

Cliff hopes to make the journey into Ukraine himself one day, although travelling as far as Kyiv and back would add around four days to a trip that already takes up to six days.

For volunteers juggling their humanitarian work with employment, finding the time to make several journeys each year can be difficult.

With winter approaching, Cliff said the freezing temperatures and attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure were making conditions increasingly difficult for people living in the country.

He said: “I know with winter coming up it does get very, very cold over there. We've been to Poland. It's been minus nine, minus 10, but further east you go, obviously it's even colder, and there's a problem with the Russians' knockout of the energy supplies, so they've got blackouts, and they've got no water, no power, no electricity, and that's a big struggle.

“We get videos and it's a kind of a scary place under constant bombardment.”

The van being used for the latest mission was purchased locally after it had been earmarked for scrap.

Volunteers have since put it through an MOT, serviced it, changed the oil and fitted suitable tyres ahead of the journey.

Other organisations supporting humanitarian efforts in Ukraine include Ukraine Action Devon and Plymouth Ukraine Medical Aid (PUMA).

Anyone wishing to support Cliff's appeal can contact him on 07421 145373 or email [email protected].

Donations of aid can also be dropped off at Kingswear Lower Ferry Office, Compass Books in Dartmouth or Galleon Stores in Galmpton.