Faces

We are driving from Zaparizhzhia to Kherson to cook pizzas for victims of the floods. I've been given the responsibility of driving The Gazza, Wolf's smaller brother, a 3.5tonne  Iveco Daily van converted with 4 gas pizza ovens and air conditioning, that's the best part, unfortunately its suspension is not built for Ukrainian roads, every pothole and there are a lot, are accompanied by a body, car and human, shaking bang. On top of that it's rather underpowered making overtaking rather too exciting!

After 5 hours driving we pull up on the outskirts of Kherson and await instructions from the police. After half an hour news filters in that the Russian's are shelling the evacuation efforts and the right decision is made to retreat to Mykolaiv. A hotel is found, at least for half the group, the 'old hands' are invited to stay at Anna's place on the other side of town. Anna is a lovely generous Ukrainian who has a huge network in the region and runs an open house for volunteers to stay. The 'newbies' feeling somewhat abandoned settle in to what must be the creepiest hotel I've ever stayed in. 

At least the bar has an Italian coffee machine to kick start our day. The aid focus is on Kherson City centre and we decide we can offer more support (and Pizza) to the remote villages that never get visitors let alone aid. Siobhan Trust pizza making is a slick operation from arrival at a site to the first pizza being handed out only takes 15 minutes. Operating at maximum capacity; 2 trucks, 11 ovens, 3 pizzas in each oven they can churn out 600 an hour, on a busy day 2000 plus pizzas are not unusual. There are four main roles on the production line; the unwrapper, the pizza chef, the runner and the server. My favourite was the server as this was the best opportunity to directly connect with the Ukrainians we were helping. Look into their faces make eye contact with them, try to emphasise and comprehend the incomprehensible. 

For the troops

After two hours driving in the Sedburgh Wolf, one of four vehicles the Eastern unit of Siobhan’s Trust have in the field, we arrive at the entrance to a military training base. Our passports are checked and we are asked to turn off location services on our phones. We are escorted for a few hundred meters off-road to a junction of tracks where we set up a corral of pizza vans ready to serve today's 'customers'.

The sound of distant music attracts our attention and with everything set up we are invited to witness one of the most surreal and stirring events of my life. In a natural amphitheatre clearing 600 battle dressed troops are sitting in the sunshine listening to the Ukrainian indie band Ondy v Kanoe. The beautiful voice of Iryna Shvaidakh evoking reminders of Vera Lynn singing to British troops in WW2. 

Concert over the troops formed and orderly queue as we served them pizzas and hot drinks. Despite the smiles and thanks the mood of the men seemed subdued many of them eating their pizza lost in thought of the days to come. For all of us volunteers it felt very special, our chance to show the men and women about to join the front line our support.

DAMMIT

Whilst I was sleeping peacefully on the top bunk in the sleeper train to Kyiv, the war in Ukraine was taking a catastrophic humanitarian and environmental turn with the bombing of the Kakhovka dam. Both sides are blaming each other, the exact circumstances may never be known but one thing is sure it wouldn't have happened were it not for Russia's invasion. 

Hot spotting off Victoria's phone I was able to call Tom as the sleeper rolled into Kyiv railway station at 0630.

Tom -  "jump on the train to Zaparizhzhia, I'll meet you there, you have a ticket right?" 

No! 

I head into the ticket hall and ask for a ticket to Zaparizhzhia. 

Ticket office - "you just missed a train the next one isn't until 2100 this evening!" 

Advised to remove Sim cards before entering Ukraine I go in search of a UA sim, so bizarre how much we rely on our smartphones these days. No sooner than I'm online and my phone pings 

Tom - there's a train to Zap via Dnipro leaves at 0715 platform 9 ticket to follow GO

Ten minutes later I'm saying goodbye to Kyiv on the smartest hi-speed train imaginable. Not for the first time today I'm reflecting on how 'normal' life here seems. 

According to my tickets I have 15 minutes in Dnipro to find my connection to Zaparizhzhia, unfortunately even the latest hi-speed trains get delayed and we arrive with only 4 minutes for me to find the train. At this point I learnt some important lessons;  place names are often written in Cyrillic not English and few Ukrainians speak any English to help me - l wasn't prepared. Result I missed my connection and yes you guessed; it was the last one of the day!

OK next option the bus, with help from Google maps I find the station 800m away and head outside only to be confronted by the unfamiliar sound of an air raid alarm and heavily armed soldiers directing everyone back into the train station underpass. Train delays might be normal but air raids aren't, I can see myself missing another connection! I stay underground for 10 minutes but notice a lot of people still heading outside so I follow them and ignoring the soldiers head off in the direction of the bus station. 

This time I'm prepared and start looking for the bus going to ПОЛТАВА  ЗАПОРІЖЖЯ and with the help of a kind soldier with a smattering of English I join the crowded bus of civilian women and men in combats. 

Zaporizhzhia is only 60 miles from Dnipro and as we enter the city an hour later I receive a pin from Tom.

" meet us here you'll see our white vans and lots of smiling people eating pizza" .

Shit I need to get off the bus now,  but no the driver ignores my request until his official stop. Too far to walk I realise this is the moment to use my first 'Bolt' taxi. We drive via the 'beach' and to my amazement people are sunbathing and swimming in the river, another reminder that even in war life goes on and how important ìt is to maintain a degree of normality. 

Anyone for Pizza? Ukraine through the eyes of a charity volunteer.

Day 1 

"Why are you coming to Ukraine? You don't need to do this you could just stay in your own country".

I'm on the sleeper train from the Polish border town of Chelm, you don't pronounce the C, to Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine which we have all come to know since Russia began it's invasion almost 16 months ago. My couchette travelling companions are a Ukrainian family of three,  mother Valentina and her 15 year old twins, Victoria and Valentin, 'V' must be popular in Ukraine! Originally from Kyiv they have lived in the Polish city of Gdansk since the war began but were going back to Kyiv to visit their Babushka and celebrate her 70th birthday. Despite the language barrier, Google translate is frustrating when your Internet connection keeps dropping out, we struck up an immediate friendship. Valentina insisted on sharing the delicious pasties she had cooked for their journey. 

Why? Good question which I've been asking myself ever since I agreed to come here in early May. I blurted "to help people on the ground and show support for Ukraine against Russia". Valentina seemed genuinely moved, thanking me and asking if I was afraid. My response was "not really" and I guess that's because I don't have any prior experience of being in a country at war. Am I being foolish and naive? Frankly I really don't know but I'm curious and never shied from adventure and would rather be helping on the ground than just making a financial donation. I asked her if she was afraid, replying  "yes, for them" looking lovingly at her twins. 

I should explain, I'm a volunteer for the Siobhan Trust a Scottish based charity providing support to Ukraine The mission of Siobhan’s Trust – Ukraine is to provide food and practical support to the huge number of internally displaced Ukrainians, traumatised by the Russian invasion of their homeland. This is my story