A PAIR of Caldicot men have spent the best part of a week driving a van load of supplies to the Ukrainian border in Poland to help those fleeing the Russian invasion.

Organised by Caldicot Town Team, a donation drive saw a 3.5 tonne extended wheelbase truck "filled to the brim" with items.

After speaking to Aaron Reeks and Tony Howarth while they were on the road last week, the Argus caught up with them on Monday to speak about their trip.

“I’m exhausted,” Mr Reeks said. “It’s been an incredible, emotional, heart-breaking week.”

The pair drove around 22 hours each way – covering roughly 3,000 miles.

Their fuel bill exceeded £1,100.

Despite this, Mr Reeks said he was “pleased to have had the opportunity to help”.

The pair were supporting Unitatem Team, a charity which was set up on March 1 and has since helped more than 500 women and children with aid and shelter.

However, much of the shelter which has been found for Ukrainian refugees has been within previously abandoned structures.

“The buildings need an incredible amount of work doing,” Mr Reeks explained.

“One, in Radymno, has got damp and whole rooms which are unusable.

“There’s loads of sickness in the residential centres at the moment.”

Despite the challenges being faced upon arrival from an already desperate situation, Mr Reeks said that the women and children he had met had been “incredibly strong people”.

“They’d all be ready to help unload the van when we got there,” he said.

“Some of the children were wondering whether they would ever see their fathers again.

“One teenager was hoping to become a soldier and go back to Ukraine to fight, after his father was killed that week.”

Mr Reeks said that much of the focus in the UK had so far been on the destruction, “rather than the people living it on the ground”.

“Some are living on mattresses on the floor in a single room. It’s a grim reality,” he said.

“Their story is not being told.”

One boy in particular left a lasting impression on Mr Reeks.

“There was a little boy with cerebral palsy,” he said.

“I took stuff into the kitchen and he came up to me and grabbed my leg.

“He pulled me down to his level and gave me a kiss. He sat on my lap and would not let me go.

“Language wasn’t a barrier. It was very surreal.

“It’s been playing on my mind a lot since we left.”

He said that, despite the resilience and resolve of those he had met, more support was needed from the Polish government, as well as government agencies in the UK.

“People are doing what they can, but there’s only so much we can do,” he said.

“If it wasn’t for charities, it would be dire.”

Mr Reeks and Mr Howarth are hoping to make a second trip “in a week or so”.

“We’re hoping we can get enough together to go over again,” Mr Reeks said.

“We were amazed at the local support. The Caldicot community have been fantastic.

“We’re hoping local businesses could possible support us in terms of fuel and ferry expenses.”

He also thanked Maben Vehicle Hire for supplying the van they used.

Even as we were speaking, more donations were being brought into the shop on Caldicot High Street.

“This wouldn’t be possible without the support of the community,” Mr Reeks said.

Financial donations can be made using details on the Caldicot Town Team Facebook page.