Kent With Ukraine delivers life-saving Aid to Chernihiv

Kent With Ukraine began 2025 the way it intends to continue: with action, determination, and unwavering solidarity with the people of Ukraine.

In our first aid mission of the year, our team drove over 3,500 miles across six countries, delivering nearly 12,000 vital items, around 1.5 tonnes of life-saving equipment, medical supplies, warm clothing, and essentials, including toys and support items for orphanages, taking it directly to our friends and partners in Chernihiv Oblast, in northern Ukraine.

This mission was about far more than logistics. It was about friendship. It was about keeping promises. And it was about ensuring that communities living under constant threat know that they are not alone.

When Kent With Ukraine Founder Jordan Meade and volunteer driver Michael Luxford arrived in Chernihiv, the reality on the ground was stark.

It was harrowing to hear first-hand accounts of the attacks the region had endured in recent days, including the news that a hospital in the region had been one of Putin’s targets. Hearing directly from local partners about a Russian terrorist state deliberately striking civilian homes, hospitals, and schools brings home a truth that can never be ignored: this is not a distant conflict, and it is not an abstract geopolitical dispute.

This is a war of aggression. A war of terror. And an attempt to break the spirit of an entire nation through brutality.

And yet, in Chernihiv, what we encounter time and time again is not despair, but courage. Not resignation, but the strongest resilience. Even after the sirens, even after the destruction, communities continue to rebuild, to serve one another, to care for the vulnerable, and to hold on to hope.

That spirit is exactly why Kent stands with Chernihiv. And why Kent With Ukraine exists.

Behind every delivery is a team of extraordinary volunteers

While the headlines may focus on the miles driven or the number of items delivered, the truth is that missions like this are built on hundreds of hours of work long before a vehicle ever leaves the UK.

This trip was only possible because of the tireless effort of an incredible network of volunteers, people who have given their time, energy, and dedication day after day to keep our Ukraine hub moving.

Special thanks go to Iris, Thomas O’Keeffe, Rob, Trish, Cheryl Price, Alison, Rosemary, Alan, and other dedicated volunteers who worked relentlessly to mobilise our hub in Gravesend by sorting, packing, lifting, checking, organising, and preparing everything needed to make the mission happen.

We also extend our sincere thanks to Rocky, Tim, and friends in Hull, whose generosity and hard work helped us assemble such high-quality items to send forward to Ukraine.

This is what real community looks like: people stepping up, not because they have to, but because they refuse to look away.

A special thank you to those who made the mission possible

A mission of this scale demands not only volunteer hours, but significant financial and practical support—fuel, vehicle access, route planning, and the ability to respond quickly to the needs identified on the ground.

Kent With Ukraine is hugely grateful to the Medway Sunlight Rotarians, and in particular Paul, for their enabling donation, as well as everyone who contributed essential items or made donations to cover fuel and mission costs.

We also offer particular thanks to Guy Shepherd, who played an instrumental role in making this mission possible—not only by kindly allowing us to use his van, but through the additional contribution he made towards fuel costs. That generosity directly translated into support reaching people in need.

And while some supporters prefer to remain anonymous, we wish to recognise them too. Your contribution matters. Your support is making a real and measurable difference.

Finally, heartfelt thanks go to Mick, who drove the full route there and back through challenging, often dreadful driving conditions, and for enduring more than 80 hours with Jordan in the passenger seat. It is not overstating things to say that without that commitment, this mission would not have reached its destination.

Working with trusted partners in Chernihiv

Kent With Ukraine is proud to work hand-in-hand with trusted and respected partners on the ground—people who understand local needs better than anyone, and who ensure that aid is distributed to the right places at the right time.

We offer our deepest thanks to Kostyantin Megem, Oleksandra Khomyk, Ira Martseva, and the entire team at the Chernihiv Regional State Military Administration, for their ongoing support and assistance, particularly through the customs and regulatory processes that are essential to ensuring aid moves safely, legally, and efficiently into the region.

Their professionalism, responsiveness, and commitment are exceptional—and it is a privilege to stand alongside them in support of the people they serve.