'Pull from the heart led me to Ukraine', says Oxfordshire man

Fynn Watt said he "just knew" he had to go to Ukraine

Fynn Watt Fynn Watt — Fynn Watt said he "just knew" he had to go to Ukraine

A 21-year-old Briton has put his degree apprenticeship on hold to drive supplies into stricken areas of Ukraine - and help refugees get out.

In March, Fynn Watt borrowed his dad's van and made his first trip, carrying donated supplies from his home in Deddington, Oxfordshire.

Now based in eastern Europe, he regularly ferries medical supplies and food to refugee camps and into Ukraine.

Explaining his decision, he said: "It was just a pull from the heart."

"I don't have any Ukrainian friends or relatives but I just knew I had to go," he added.

Mr Watt said a conversation with his dad about what he could do to help first prompted him to volunteer with a refugee centre in Milton Keynes before moving on to work with charity Vienna Missions Ukraine.

He said: "Me and my community are in a good position to help these people - and that's exactly what we have and are continuing to do."

One of Mr Watt's friends from his home town near Banbury, Harry Steele, has joined him and, along with two other Brits, and they make almost daily trips to get essential supplies to isolated parts of Ukraine that have been decimated by Russian soldiers.

Mr Watt has been transporting vital medical and food supplies

Fynn Watt A charity worker with su — Mr Watt has been transporting vital medical and food supplies

With three vans, they are working with charities "big and small" including UK Help for Ukraine - Banbury, Highway to Help, Vienna Mission for Ukraine, Highway 2 Help, and Pomoz Ukrainie - Piaseczno, among others, providing them with vital transport.

Mr Watt told the BBC: "We're currently taking rice, baby food, oats and 400kg of tinned goods. And we've transported life-support machines and equipment for burns victims.

"We're also raising money through online donations which we're using to buy supplies."

Mr Watt and his team also helped 10 people flee the country from Ivano-Frankivsk, south of Lviv.

"Three of them were severely disabled and had already fled from Donetsk, we helped them get out of Ukraine and ultimately safely into France," he said.

"We'll continue to do this for as long as we can," he pledged.