Ukraine: Army veteran takes medical supplies to Poland border

An Army veteran travelling to the Ukrainian border to drop off medical supplies has said she expects to see "harrowing sights".

Hannah Jarvis, 39, from Abergavenny, is working with the group Bridge to Unity, and left the UK on Saturday for a drop-off point in Poland.

"It's absolute chaos at the moment," Ms Jarvis said.

Major cities in Ukraine have been subjected to a relentless barrage of shelling since Russian forces invaded.

Last year, Bridge to Unity helped in the evacuation efforts in Afghanistan and, as a humanitarian crisis unfolds in Ukraine, many people in the UK are looking for ways to help.

"We've just shifted our focus to Ukraine now because that's where it's needed at the moment," said Ms Jarvis, who will be travelling with four other veterans.

"Everything's a risk but what we're going to do is going to outweigh the risk I think, and is worth it.

"We need to be mindful of it, we're all parents and my responsibility is firstly to my children, but we're not going to take any risks unnecessarily and go anywhere we anticipate there will be danger.

"I didn't expect to go, at this stage in my life as a mum.

"Usually these conflicts are far flung and we feel removed and a bit helpless so in a sense I'm glad we are able to do this but it is strange and unexpected.

"A few of us who are going are veterans and are familiar with this sort of situation so we will be fine."

Ms Jarvis, a Conservative councillor in Monmouth, said the trip would take about three or four days.

"We're driving there, I think it'll take us a good 26 hours to get there, we're going to a warehouse in Poland to drop off supplies and then to the border to drop off the rest of the supplies, and rest up a bit before we turn around and come home.

"Their people there are being taken away from the frontline to source and transport the medical aid so if we can take it directly, it helps those people do their job on the ground."

But Ms Jarvis is expecting "chaotic" scenes when she arrives in Poland and heads for the border with Ukraine.

"It's wonderful that Poland has opened its borders to everyone, no questions asked, no documentation necessary," she said.

"They have said bring everyone, bring your pets, again I think that's wonderful but it does make for a chaotic situation.

"It will be chaos but we will go the aid camp to see how we can help and how we can direct our future resources in the best way possible and also for people to see where their donations are going and how they have helped."

Ms Jarvis's Army career saw her being deployed to Basra, Iraq, in 2007 when she served as a private with the Royal Welsh Regiment.

"We won't be fazed and we can do what we need to do. Refugees are coming in all states," she said.

"No-one wants to see children almost at the point of death."

So far the charity has raised more than £20,000 for medical supplies which includes stretchers, trauma kits, sutures and dressings.

"We found last year with the Afghanistan crisis we were overwhelmed with clothing and bedding and what we're hearing from our contact with the NGOs is that the medical equipment is what we need," Ms Jarvis said.

The charity's three vans left Southampton at 03:00 GMT on Saturday for the ferry crossing and then drive to Bern, Switzerland, to pick up more equipment before heading to Medyka.

They expect to return on Monday and there are plans for more deliveries, depending on the needs on the ground.

"People feel powerless and want to help and donating is a way they can do so, but as long as there's a requirement and people keep donating, we'll keep doing runs," she said.