All-female convoy to deliver vehicles to Ukraine

A mother is gearing up to take part in an all-female convoy delivering vehicles to Ukrainian medics to mark International Women's Day.

Karen Watt is making the 1,300-mile (2,100km) journey from her home in Oxfordshire to the Ukrainian border alongside at least 15 other women next month as part of the Driving Ukraine project.

The charity, founded by her son Fynn, has transported more than 300 vehicles to the frontline since the Russian invasion began.

It comes as campaigners and charities across Oxfordshire mark exactly four years since the conflict started.

"Every month we try to do something different and have a different theme, and March is because it's International Women's Day," Karen explained.

She said the all-female seven-vehicle convoy would be handing the keys over to female Ukrainian combat medics.

Driving Ukraine, based in Deddington, deliver the vehicles to medical corps within the Ukrainian military.

"Every vehicle has an impact and makes a difference without a shadow of a doubt," Karen said.

She said the initial "fear" she had when her then 21-year-old-son first took a vehicle over to Ukraine had since "changed into full blown pride".

"We're actually departing on the 12th of March and that's his 25th birthday, so I can't think of a better gift to give him..."

Another campaigner who has also transported aid to Ukraine is Magdalena Kwiecinska, who set up the Banbury-based UK Help for Ukraine group in 2022.

Originally from Poland, she said it was "just really impossible" that the war had entered its fifth year.

"At the start we were just thinking it would be few months, maybe a year, but now four years - it's just very sad.

"We've got lots of lots of different stories, very sad stories from the cities and towns just near to the frontline - mostly from the people from Kharkiv," she said.

"Their houses have been destroyed completely to the ground, someone's died, someone's missing and they don't know where the part of the family is."

Although UK Help for Ukraine officially closed last year, Magdalena is still helping to provide aid to those in Ukraine.

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