Flintshire business spearheads initiative to deliver humanitarian aid to Ukraine

A Flintshire-based firm has spearheaded an initiative to deliver humanitarian aid to the people of Ukraine.

Mold-headquartered P&A Group has coordinated partners and many local businesses to fill an articulated lorry with much-needed provisions such as non-perishable food, water, medical and first aid equipment.

Following an appeal to local businesses, suppliers, and customers of the P&A’s pallet division asking for a list of items including medical dressings, thermal blankets, batteries, power banks, sleeping bags, non-perishable foods, nappies, and sanitary products, donations poured in.

Commenting on the initiative, Rhys Hughes Director at P&A Group, said: “One of our employees, Andrzej Dudziak, our Zest Polish Sourcing Co-ordinator, who is based near Gdansk, has been helping out at the Polish/Ukraine border a couple of nights a week and has been in contact with Caritas, the biggest charity in Poland which is also assisting at the border. Andrzej advised that, despite the huge amount of support already donated, aid is still required.”

“One of the core principles of the P&A Group is that we want to contribute to the communities in which we operate positively.”

“We receive timber garden products from Poland weekly into our Saltney warehouse for redistribution to garden centres across the UK, so this seemed a prime opportunity for us to demonstrate our support for the people on the ground at the Polish border and in Ukraine by providing transport and coordinating this humanitarian aid mission.”

Rhys continued: “It’s fantastic to see so many local businesses, partners and friends of P&A come together to support the Ukraine Aid effort.”

“The articulated lorry left our site on Thursday 11th August and has now arrived at Caritas charity base on the border from where they will distribute into Ukraine.”

“I’d like to say a big thank to our Supply Chain team of Andrzej, Piotr, Beth and Mark at P&A Group for co-ordinating the donations, warehousing and arranging logistics.”

Andrzej Dudziak, P&A Group’s Zest Polish Sourcing Co-ordinator in Poland was at the border to receive the aid along with his son and commented:

“It was a long but definitely satisfying day unloading the wagon at the Caritas Warehouse.”

“All were impressed and grateful for the goods, which are now being sorted as trucks are already organised to distribute across Ukraine.”

“Thank you to everyone who has helped – Amazing job guys!”

P&A Group has thanked the following companies for their support:

Accrol (John Dale Site in Flint)
BIC Innovation
Convatec
Flintshire County Council
Gap Recruitment
Harlech Foodservice Ltd
Heatons
H&C Howatson Ltd
Samco
SKAT Transportation
Turnaround Solutions
Workplace Worksafe Ltd