Richard Foord, MP for Tiverton & Honiton
You cannot open a newspaper or turn on the radio without hearing of appalling loss of life in the Middle East – and worrying risks of escalation too.
Yet we cannot allow ourselves to forget another major conflict taking place on Europe’s doorstep – Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. It has been 782 days since Vladimir Putin ordered Russian forces to undertake full-scale war on the people of Ukraine. Since the conflict began, tens of thousands of lives have been lost, millions have been displaced, and casualties on both sides have been high.
Despite some early successes, Putin has failed in his objective. He wanted a swift conquest of Ukraine, and to encourage other Eastern countries to crawl back into Russia’s sphere of influence. To date we have seen the opposite happen – with many in the West rallying to support the Ukrainian people.
In the UK we have a proud record of supporting Ukraine as it stands up to a bully, while caring for the displaced. We were the first country to provide various types of material, and generous people in East Devon opened their homes to those fleeing the conflict. Here in Devon, we’ve also seen huge efforts being made to help deliver support to those still in Ukraine who are caught up in this imperialist war.
Medics4Ukraine is a local initiative based out of Axminster and linked to a company called World Extreme Medicine. Since 2022, they have been delivering medical supplies and life-saving training to those on the frontline in Ukraine. Mark Hannaford, Luca Alfatti and their team have done incredible work. Last week they delivered their 22nd convoy of supplies. This represents over £3.1 million worth of medical kit donated and training delivered, with around 900 people trained.
I met with Mark and Luca last year. They proposed to me that we should get the Government to agree to donate surplus equipment and dressings that were past their expiry date to Ukraine, where they would be in high demand. Having raised this with the Secretary of State for Health in Parliament multiple times, I am glad to see this approach has been endorsed by ministers – who confirmed earlier this month that a further £2 million worth of surplus supplies are being released to Ukraine. This will enable Ukrainians to better treat infections and wounds.
Medics4Ukraine are close to hitting their £100,000 fundraising target. If you want to support their work, consider donating and helping this proud Devon initiative continue to make a difference for Ukrainians: http://www.gofundme.com/f/medics4ukraine
East Devon Watch 