Havant charity sends second convoy of humanitarian aid to help Ukrainians in space of 10 days

Residents have rallied behind a charity to send a second lorry of aid to Ukrainian refugees in the space of just 10 days.
By Hollie Busby
Published 27th May 2022, 04:55 GMT
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Stella’s Voice, who support children at risk of trafficking and slavery in Moldova, have been collecting donations for refugees since the Ukraine war broke out in March.

On Wednesday, (May 25), the charity sent out their second expedition of donations after collecting 26 palettes worth of aid from residents and schools at their donation hubs in The Meridian Centre and Spring Business Park in Havant.

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Their second convoy will go to Stella’s Voice refugee centre in the capital of Moldova, Chișinău, which looks after up to 2,000 Ukrainian refugees and will be distributed to residents in the area, as well as those with refugees in their homes.

From left to right: Volunteers Graham Stouse and Rob Burdell, Wayne Keeping, Mark Scanlon (Marsh Plant Fork lift Driver) and driver Chris.From left to right: Volunteers Graham Stouse and Rob Burdell, Wayne Keeping, Mark Scanlon (Marsh Plant Fork lift Driver) and driver Chris.
From left to right: Volunteers Graham Stouse and Rob Burdell, Wayne Keeping, Mark Scanlon (Marsh Plant Fork lift Driver) and driver Chris.

Last week, Stella’s Voice sent out their first arctic lorry to Romania to link up with a refugee centre called Fight for Freedom which delivers aid into Ukraine on a daily basis.

Speaking on the support, operations director at Stella’s Voice, Wayne Keeping, said: ‘It feels absolutely incredible. The people of Havant and Portsmouth have been very generous in their giving.

‘This second lorry is going into Moldova where we have our work at one of the big refugee centres.

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Charity Stella's Voice have been running a donation centre in the Meridian Centre in Havant and on Tuesday, May 17, had an artic lorry loaded up from Spring Business Park in Havant and driven to Romania where it will be taken to a refugee centre which will then be distributed in Ukraine. Pictured is: (back l-r) Wayne Keeping and Colin Francis with (front l-r) Harris Franklin, Graham Stouse, Rob Burdell, Mark Scanlan from Marsh Plant, Ioan Bisocianu, Romanian driver, Nicky Keeping and Ross Mason. Picture: Sarah Standing (170522-7352)Charity Stella's Voice have been running a donation centre in the Meridian Centre in Havant and on Tuesday, May 17, had an artic lorry loaded up from Spring Business Park in Havant and driven to Romania where it will be taken to a refugee centre which will then be distributed in Ukraine. Pictured is: (back l-r) Wayne Keeping and Colin Francis with (front l-r) Harris Franklin, Graham Stouse, Rob Burdell, Mark Scanlan from Marsh Plant, Ioan Bisocianu, Romanian driver, Nicky Keeping and Ross Mason. Picture: Sarah Standing (170522-7352)
Charity Stella's Voice have been running a donation centre in the Meridian Centre in Havant and on Tuesday, May 17, had an artic lorry loaded up from Spring Business Park in Havant and driven to Romania where it will be taken to a refugee centre which will then be distributed in Ukraine. Pictured is: (back l-r) Wayne Keeping and Colin Francis with (front l-r) Harris Franklin, Graham Stouse, Rob Burdell, Mark Scanlan from Marsh Plant, Ioan Bisocianu, Romanian driver, Nicky Keeping and Ross Mason. Picture: Sarah Standing (170522-7352)
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‘We've already been supporting financially in the area. Now we're going to support them with a whole truckload of aid too.’

More than 50 dedicated volunteers have rallied together to pack and sort donations at the charity’s donation hub at The Meridian Centre.

Aid provisions have ranged from baby supplies, food, clothing, bedding, medicine, toiletries, sanitary products and children’s supplies.

Nicky Keeping, also from Stella’s Voice says she has been ‘blown away’ by the outpouring of generosity in the community.

Charity Stella's Voice have been running a donation centre in the Meridian Centre in Havant and on Tuesday, May 17, had an artic lorry loaded up from Spring Business Park in Havant and driven to Romania where it will be taken to a refugee centre which will then be distributed in Ukraine. Pictured is: (l-r) Rob Burdell, Graham Stouse and Wayne Keeping. Picture: Sarah Standing (170522-7327)Charity Stella's Voice have been running a donation centre in the Meridian Centre in Havant and on Tuesday, May 17, had an artic lorry loaded up from Spring Business Park in Havant and driven to Romania where it will be taken to a refugee centre which will then be distributed in Ukraine. Pictured is: (l-r) Rob Burdell, Graham Stouse and Wayne Keeping. Picture: Sarah Standing (170522-7327)
Charity Stella's Voice have been running a donation centre in the Meridian Centre in Havant and on Tuesday, May 17, had an artic lorry loaded up from Spring Business Park in Havant and driven to Romania where it will be taken to a refugee centre which will then be distributed in Ukraine. Pictured is: (l-r) Rob Burdell, Graham Stouse and Wayne Keeping. Picture: Sarah Standing (170522-7327)
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She said: ‘It's absolutely amazing. We've been blown away by how generous people are. We've been going since the war started. We opened early March and the donations have slow down a bit but they've been pretty constant.

‘Some ladies have been doing three days a week at the centre. It's been amazing. People just wanted to help in any way that they could.’

Residents have donated so many provisions that they are already halfway through filling their third convoy to be sent to support Ukrainian refugees in Moldova..

Related topics:ResidentsHavant

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