Ukraine trauma kits sent to help with shrapnel injuries

The trauma kit includes medical supplies that can help severely injured civilians and soldiers

FMS Dr Chris Howes — The trauma kit includes medical supplies that can help severely injured civilians and soldiers

Medical volunteers are raising funds for urgently-needed trauma kits to help people injured during the war in Ukraine.

Somerset charity Festival Medical Services (FMS) said it wants to help people going through the "appalling" ordeal.

The boxes contain hospital-grade items to treat things such as shrapnel injuries and stem severe bleeding.

Doctors, nurses and health care workers from FMS have so far raised £4,780.

They are looking to reach a target of £15,000.

Any extra funds raised will go towards further medical provision in Ukraine and helping refugees in surrounding countries.

The volunteers normally spend their time giving free medical aid at festivals in the UK

FMS Glastonbury Festival medical volunteers — The volunteers normally spend their time giving free medical aid at festivals in the UK

The volunteers normally share their time helping people at events such as at Glastonbury Festival.

But FMS founder and managing director, Dr Chris Howes, from Croscombe, near Wells, said the charity is now looking to the "people of Somerset and beyond" for help.

"We have been appalled by the terrible ordeal the people of Ukraine are going through," he said.

"We have been in touch with colleagues in the country and have a list of the equipment they urgently need to treat the most severely injured casualties of the war."

So far the UN has confirmed the deaths of 729 civilians in Ukraine, though the actual number is expected to be far higher.

Ukrainian families have also been mourning over the deaths of their fallen soldiers.

'Desperately needed'

FMS board member and manager Nich Woolf said one of the biggest problems in Ukraine is infection.

"We've sent out a load of face masks and hand gels and sanitary equipment. In any war hygiene is the first casualty," he said.

"It's hard to know what the supply situation is in Ukraine. But we know it's the specialist stuff that people don't have lying around their house that desperately needs to go out.

"So we're trying to sort this most needed equipment to donate to doctors there."

The charity said the trauma boxes will be delivered direct to doctors in Ukraine.