More than 50 medical kits handed in for Caithness man's Ukraine appeal
The Caithness man leading an appeal for medical supplies for civilians caught up in the war in Ukraine says he is pleased with the response so far.
Steve Gibson has collected between 50 and 60 first-aid kits since he started his campaign in the lead-up to the first anniversary of the invasion by Russia.
He hopes a delivery can be made to Ukraine by early April and in the meantime will be grateful for further donations.
Steve is supporting the work of humanitarian aid volunteers Jack Vincent and Terry Rumble, who are making a series of trips from the UK to Ukraine. Steve's connection with Terry goes back to 1971 when they joined the RAF together.
He is encouraging local businesses to hand in any first-aid supplies they have that have passed their use-by dates. Equipment that no longer meets health and safety requirements in the UK can still be put to use in helping civilian casualties in Ukraine, he points out.
Ashley Ann's base in Wick is acting as the main collection point for donated medical kits and the company will also play a part in transporting them to the Manchester area to be picked up. Other drop-off locations are UHI North Highland in Thurso, the Thurso Community Café and the Pulteney Centre in Wick, during working hours in each case.
Steve, who lives at Bilbster, is a former health and safety manager at Ashley Ann. He served in the RAF for 25 years.
He was taken aback by the scale of one donation from the college on Thursday.
“I went to the college because they'd said that they had some sanitiser gel that I could have," Steve said. "I went there and I folded the car seats down and I managed to get into my car under a third of what they had available – there were two more pallets.
“I brought out about 50 gallons in containers and that was under a third. It was all going out of date, and they wanted rid of it.
“Although it's out of date, it's an alcohol-based sanitiser – it will still clean things down."
He added: “We've had 50 to 60 first-aid kits. One or two have come to the college but mostly it has come to the doors of Ashley Ann, and it's coming from different places.
“Some have obviously come from sea vessels because they are in sealed watertight packages and that sort of thing."
Most supplies are being handed in anonymously, but Steve was keen to acknowledge one donation that was marked as having come from Lybster Primary School.
“I want people to look and see what they've got and give what they have, instead of buying new stuff,” he explained.
One Wick-based business owner donated a first-aid box that was older than most. "He said I'd probably get more for it on Antiques Roadshow," Steve quipped.
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Steve has been supported by Alexander Glasgow, who arranged collections in Thurso. Alexander distributed a poster containing information about the appeal with a Ukrainian translation along with English text.
Ashley Ann's collection point is next to the café entrance at the rear of its factory at Wick Airport Industrial Estate.
Last month, Ashley Ann's joint managing director Scott Bremner said: “We are delighted to support Steve Gibson in his effort to supply aid to those suffering in the Ukraine war.”
According to the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, there had been 21,793 civilian casualties in Ukraine up until March 5 – 8173 killed and 13,620 injured.
