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Jul
'I hope that people can help’: The Ripon volunteer delivering SUVs to Ukraine
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Since the beginning of the war in Ukraine, the Harrogate district has seen many volunteers doing their bit to help.
The Stray Ferret has regularly reported on Knaresborough hero Bob Frendt, who has made almost 10 trips to Eastern Europe to provide humanitarian aid since 2022. He has ferried medical supplies, easter eggs, and even two fire engines to the country.
Many businesses in the district have also opened themselves up for donations.
One of the district’s latest volunteers is Bob Marchant. A retired 67-year-old from Ripon, he helps deliver vehicles and supplies to the war zone.
Volunteering for Edinburgh-based charity Jeeps for Peace, Mr Marchant drives ageing SUVs nearly 1,900 miles to Ukraine, where they’re restored and used to transport supplies and soldiers to and from the front line.
Jeeps for Peace volunteers at the Ukraine border.
Bob Marchant flies the Yorkshire flag at the Ukraine border.
Having worked in Ukraine in the 1990s, Mr Marchant befriended Stuart McKenzie, a Scottish national who had to flee the country in 2022. Mr McKenzie introduced him to the charity last year.
He told the Stray Ferret why he does it:
I worked in Ukraine and got to know a lot of Ukrainian people. It’s such a lovely place. The ordinary Ukrainian folk are just lovely people and don’t deserve to be going through what they are going through, so you do what you can to help.
It’s just something I feel the need to do, and it’s something I can do. So many times, you see appeals and the only thing you can do is pick up your phone and donate £20. With this one, because of my history and contacts and because I’ve got the time, I’ve got an opportunity to do something.
As the vehicles are nearing end-of-life, volunteers had to get creative to keep them running. This Nissan Navarra's snapped chassis was held together with industrial strapping.
‘There are no young men anywhere’
Since its establishment in 2023, Jeeps for Peace has organised 15 convoys to the country, delivering 550 vehicles.
Mr Marchant completed his first convoy last month, driving through the Netherlands, Germany, and Poland to get to Ukraine. Upon arrival, the convoy of around 18 vehicles travelled to Kolomyya, a city some 150 miles south of Lviv.
One of the cars Mr Marchant drove during the convoy.
He told us what it was like:
It’s just soul-destroying. I drove 200 miles through the Ukrainian countryside, and it’s a bit disconcerting. You go through a small town like Ripon or a village like Wormald Green, and all you see are old women. There are no young men anywhere.
They’re very quiet and subdued; nothing is going on – no festivals or markets. It’s just a grind. It’s such a hopeless situation over there. There’s no end in sight – it’s just a stalemate.
It can be a bit disconcerting when a helicopter gunship goes overhead because I don’t know the difference between a Russian and a Ukrainian one, but I never felt unsafe. Although the Americans on the convoy did go to Lviv to deliver hospital aid and had to spend the night in an air raid shelter as it was attacked that night.
On top of this, Mr Marchant said the convoys had to navigate foreign police, vehicle maintenance issues and border patrols.
‘I’m looking for more vehicles’
The charity plans to deliver its 600th vehicle on its next convoy in September — and Mr Marchant intends to join them.
He said that, with no end to the war with Russia in sight, the charity aims to surpass 1000 delivered vehicles by summer next year.
Mr Merchant has already sourced a vehicle for his journey, but welcomes any donations from the public:
Ideally, I’m looking for more vehicles that people would be willing to give to me instead of scrapping. Or, if I can raise enough money, then we’ll buy end-of-life vehicles ourselves. It would be good if a local garage could volunteer a couple of hours of their mechanics' time to give the vehicles a once-over just to make sure they can do 1500 miles.
The last trip cost me £1500. I’m more than happy to pay that again next time, but if I could fill the vehicle with aid from various donors, that would make it much easier for me. I hope that people can help.
Mr Marchant has set up an appeal for people in the area to provide supplies for him to take on his next convoy. You can find it here.
He has also set up a fundraiser, which you can find here.
For more information about Jeeps for Peace, click here, and to get in contact with Mr Marchant, email bob.marchant@gmail.com.
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