Volunteer Centre Sefton’s spotlight page highlights the variety of ways people across Sefton have given their time to help others. One of these ways is providing support to Ukraine.

Liverpool FC fans living in Sefton may remember the disappointing day when the team lost 0-1 to Real Madrid in Kyiv, Ukraine, in the Champions League final 2018: what feels like an era ago. However, for Simon Davies of Formby, this football match changed his life. Simon drove to Kyiv to watch the Champions League final at the Olympic Stadium. While there he made friends with the local Liverpool FC international supporters group called The Mighty Reds of Kyiv. They kept in touch on social media discussing and analysing Liverpool games.

Fast forward to 2022, and Russia invades Ukraine. “When the war broke out in Ukraine I messaged my friends to let them know that if they needed any help I would be there for them. Instantaneously they messaged me back saying ‘thank you Simon but all Ukrainian people need your help!’  This had a profound impact on my thoughts of what I could do” said Simon.

Simon is a local business owner running  Worldclass Travelling Ltd,  an airport and limo service based in Formby. He, together with four others, Peter O’Brien, David Jones, Colin Smith and Andy Geoghan, packed his four mini-buses full of medical supplies and humanitarian aid and drove over 1450 miles to Lviv in western Ukraine.  WHEN/how many times

“I am very proud of the other guys who were prepared to come with me. It takes a lot of courage to step into a war zone, I know a lot of people who wouldn’t”, added Simon.

One of Simon’s colleagues who joined him is former solider Colin Smith. Colin has been to several war zones in his military career including Afghanistan and Kosovo but now lives a quieter life working for Simon.

“I knew Simon from about 20 years ago when my oldest daughter was friends with his daughter at school. I still had my private hire licence and he said he had mountains of work”. So, when Simon asked Colin, ‘Would you go over to Ukraine with me? We’ll take over some aid and provisions and we’ll bring back some refugees’, he jumped at the chance.

Colin made it on the second trip as he was away for the first. On this trip, the team crossed the border into Ukraine and drove to Lviv – a city 40 miles away from the Polish border.

Being a former soldier, who had spent almost 22 years in war zones, going to another didn’t faze him: “I was expecting a similar scenario as going into Bosnia and Kosovo in the 90s which was horrible.

But I was pleasantly surprised when we crossed the border from Poland into Ukraine. The little farmhouses looked idyllic, it was really pretty. It was just a total contrast from what was going on. However, as we moved closer to Lviv, the roads were getting a bit rockier and you could see the preparations taking place for what they expected to come”.

However, despite the signs of war and the tragic stories of the refugees they took to safety there was some light relief. Colin remembers how when he was tasked to pick up some refugees at a farm and his truck got stuck.

“I started to turn around in a small field and got stuck. The group I was there to pick up are looking at me and they can’t speak English. I was looking at them and thinking what do I do now? I can’t exactly call the AA!”  This is where his army training came in handy.

‘I got some wood to get purchase underneath the wheels. So, I had five or six Ukrainians standing on this bit of wood because I was using it as a lever to lift the truck whilst I was trying to get unstuck.’

They did, finally get unstuck and the group, including a Chihuahua, made it to the UK safely.

Peter O’Brian has accompanied Simon on four missions to Ukraine. (Simon contests that it’s only 3 ½  as, Peter had to leave the convoy on the way back in Germany to attend his teenage son’s cup final game. His son won the winning goal so, as far as Peter is concerned it was worth it!)

‘The first time we went was just as the war was starting. We were very apprehensive at seeing NATO fighter jets flying along the Poland-Ukraine border’.

Despite the danger, Colin has found doing the trips rewarding however, it can also be hard.

‘It’s emotionally draining and physically draining with all the driving, but it is rewarding at the same time.’

The groups last trip was in December 2022 and was focused on children orphaned in the war. They took over 840 Christmas presents and shoeboxes filled with gifts and distributed them to eight different orphanages. Of the 840 presents, 120 were leftover, which were taken to the Donbas region of Ukraine by one of Simon’s contacts in Kyiv.

One visit, in particular, resonated with Colin:

 “One of the more difficult visits was to a boy’s orphanage. The boys were similar to my eldest lad’s age, teenagers. Most were bigger than I was! We had shoe boxes for them with torches and socks and a chocolate bar. But to see them smile and huddling together and saying look what I’ve got in Ukrainian was very touching”.

However, Colin wants to assure us that it’s not all doom and gloom.

‘The camaraderie and the banter between us, will live with me forever. Our trips are making a small difference in people’s lives.’

The team have raised over £44,000 enabling them to do six trips to Ukraine taking 20 tons of medical supplies and humanitarian aid. They have returned with 75 displaced women and children refugees.

If you want to help Simon and his team you can donate to his Go Fund me page.

Colin adds ‘Just by small donations, it’s allowing the missions to happen and I’ve witnessed first-hand the difference it is making even if it’s just to a small number of Ukrainians. It’s the little things we bring over such as blankets, torches, candles… things we take for granted are making such a difference! Every little counts whether it’s £10 or £100. It all adds up and lets the missions happen.’

Simon Davies, Peter O’Brien, David Jones, Colin Smith and Andy Geoghan where all awarded Citizen 4 Good awards by the Mayor of Sefton at Maghull Town Hall on 15^th February, 2023. The Citizen 4 Good awards are organised by Sefton 4 Good, Sefton CVS’ Charity initiative, in collaboration with the Mayor’s office.

Volunteering doesn’t have to be formal or part of an organised event. If you have a cause you are passionate about, then you can make a difference. For any advice on volunteering, please contact us.