Lorry loaded with care home furniture for Ukraine

A group of volunteers have said it was a logistical nightmare to transport hundreds of items from a closed down care home to a hospital in Ukraine.

Milton Keynes-based Help Ukraine BAMK UK Community Interest Company (CIC), was asked to deliver the furniture from a 100-bed home in Hyde, Greater Manchester.

Volunteers loaded up a lorry with items including motorised hospital beds, mobility aids, bedding, towels and even a piano.

Nataliya Lawson, from the CIC, said it was a much "bigger challenge" than when they collected items from a care home in Towcester, Northamptonshire, in September.

Ms Lawson said the group, made up of Ukrainian and British nationals, "succeeded again" despite having to travel 157 miles (253km) to the Hyde care home, run by Cygnet Health.

"It took us a while, it was logistically a nightmare," she explained.

She said James Baird, a farmer from Littlehampton in West Sussex, offered help along with his son.

Mr Baird has fundraised in the past to buy lorries to take to Ukraine, Ms Lawson said.

Ms Lawson said many items had to be left behind and she hoped to fundraise for another lorry to take donations to the war-torn country.

"It's absolutely wonderful, the amount of help we've had, this war has been going on for over three and a half years," she said.

"It's fantastic that people are still interested and want to help after all this time."

Ms Lawson said the items were on their way to a small hospital in Zolochiv, west Ukraine.

"They will make a real difference," she added.

Follow Beds, Herts and Bucks news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.