Penrith and the Border MP, Dr Neil Hudson met with Paul Thomas and Kevin Roper, after the pair had just supported another delivery to Ukraine.

The duo co-own The Pot Place in Plumpton, having provided support to their team who recently delivered a fifth ambulance to Ukraine alongside a 4X4 vehicle and three paramedic motorcycles.

Since Russia’s awful invasion of Ukraine almost two years ago, the fundraising team at the Pot Place have delivered 5 ambulances, 4 paramedic motorcycles, a 4 wheel drive vehicle to Lviv in Ukraine as well as vast amounts of medical and humanitarian supplies.

Dr Neil Hudson MP said: “First and foremost I’d like to again publicly extend my sincere thanks to Paul, Kevin and the whole fundraising team who have selflessly and tirelessly persevered to support our friends and allies in beleaguered Ukraine.

“I have no doubt their deliveries have saved the lives of many innocent people engulfed in the middle of this grim and bloody conflict.

“They have my full support in their endeavours and I look forward to working closely with the team moving forward.As the cogs of war continue to grind on, and other pressing international issues come to the forefront of our public consciousness, it is so critical we do not lose sight of the situation in Ukraine.

“This is absolutely a fight for democracy against an authoritarian power with little regard for human rights or the international rule of law. Now more than ever we must not falter.”

Recently Dr Hudson facilitated the purchase of decommissioned police motorbikes, with help from the National Police Chiefs’ Council, which have been repurposed for use of paramedics and delivered to Motohelp – a Ukrainian NGO providing medical support to those affected by the war, delivering blood to hospitals and teaching lifesaving first aid.

These bikes will be stationed across Ukraine; one in Odessa, one in Kyiv and the last in Dnipro.

These deliveries have been thanks to donations predominantly from local people and organisations such as Penrith Old Codgers Club and Penrith Lions.

A crowdfunding page is still accepting donations to buy more ambulances, paramedic bikes and humanitarian supplies.

The Plumpton volunteer team hand-deliver vehicles and supplies to Lviv, Ukraine where they recently found out medical vehicles are being targeted, making delivery of new vehicles all the more pressing.

The Pot Place fundraising team have also recently sent shoeboxes to Ukrainian children with gifts for Christmas, bags of kitted blankets from a local knitting group to babies as well as warm winter clothing and bedding. 

Paul Thomas, co-owner of the Pot Place, said: “It was great to catch up with our good friend Neil last week. Ever since we began our fundraising to support the emergency services of Ukraine over 18 months ago he has responded to every request for help.

“To date we have supplied 5 ambulances, 4 paramedic motorcycles, a 4×4 evacuation car and a large amount of medical equipment.

“We have just sourced our 6th ambulance and will hopefully be back over there early in the new year.

“The agreement has always been that the funds raised pay for the vehicles and equipment, and our business The Pot Place Garden Centre will pay all the expenses to get them there.

“It’s a team effort and it must carry on as conditions in Ukraine are as desperate as ever.”

Anyone wanting to support The Pot Place Garden Centre can do so by donating through their Just Giving page here https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/the-pot-place-ambulances-for-ukraine