Five members of Northumberland County Council's cabinet have stepped forward to provide thousands of pounds in aid to the people of Ukraine.
Morpeth-based coach holiday operator Gardiners Holidays is taking a fleet of coaches from Northumberland to the Ukraine border to deliver much-needed supplies of food and medicine to refugees fleeing the war.
The coaches will then transfer Ukrainian refugees and their pets to specially-set up camps where they will be safe from harm.
A fundraising campaign was set up by Gardiners Travel to cover the significant costs involved in travelling to the border - it costs more than £800 in diesel for one full tank in a coach, which then travel the 2,600 mile journey at 10mpg. Other costs include ferries, tolls and food and drink for the refugees as they are transported more than 18 hours away to safety.
Donations from the public have already raised £2,962 of the £4,000 goal - but the campaign has received a significant boost from Northumberland County Council.
The donation was revealed by council leader Glen Sanderson at Tuesday's meeting of the council's cabinet. Coun Sanderson said: "We have a firm called Gardiners who are taking provisions across to the Polish border with Ukraine.
"I have discussed funding a possible contribution to this - they will be bringing people on the border to those places that have been set up for shelter.
"It is a hugely important initiative, so five members of the cabinet have agreed to take £1,000 from their small members schemes and put it towards funding the trip from and on behalf of the council.
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"It is a really important initiative and I would also like to thank (Coun Ploszaj) Wojciech and everyone else, certainly officers as well, in doing all we can to support Ukraine in this appalling time."
Speaking after the meeting, Coun Sanderson added: "As councillors we’ve been left as upset as everyone else by the terrible situation in Ukraine and like people across the county we’re doing what we can to offer help and support.
“This is a great effort by a local company to both deliver supplies and help transport refugees and we were only too happy to provide some financial support from our small scheme funds.”
Adrian Smith from Gardiners explained: “We'll be transporting women, children and their pets who have lost everything and a lot of them are left with the clothes on their back and a couple of carrier bags.
“We’ll be ensuring everyone we take gets food and drink for the journey and activities for the children, and depending where the refugees are resettled, we’ll look to make a number of journeys.
“We’re so grateful to everyone who has supported us, donations large and small are appreciated, and this council contribution will help support the logistics of the trip – from ferry to fuel costs.”
To donate towards the trip go to https://gofund.me/8dda9cfe.
