We’re raising funds to deliver vital supplies and a paramedic motorbike (or three) to a team of volunteer medics working on the frontlines in Ukraine.
We first struck up a relationship with Pirogov First Volunteer Mobile Hospital (PFVMH) in early March while looking for practical ways to support the response effort. Over 2 days we drove (almost) non-stop from Norfolk to Ukraine to donate and deliver our diesel generator and Starlink satellite comms system to the field hospital, chauffeuring a Canadian volunteer medic on the way.
Since then we have kept in regular contact with the team as they do what they can to deliver humanitarian support and trauma care to the wounded and shell-shocked victims of the conflict.
Like so many other charities, they still need our help, so we asked them for a shopping list. You can check out the details on that a little later. Amongst the medicines, bandages, baby food and body armour it was also clear they need reliable vehicles to help them reach those most in need.
With your support, we can purchase most items on this list, and cover the costs of transporting the items straight to the teams in Lviv and Kyiv
How are going to deliver them?
PFVMH currently has three qualified motorbike riders amongst their medics, so we will be delivering some of these items on a fully laden ex-police motorbike, liveried up and ready to be put to use in the field straight away by paramedics. The higher manoeuvrability of bikes allow the team to deliver medicines to hard-to-reach places and evacuate the wounded with minor injuries from there.
If we hit our stretch target we will be able to purchase 2 further bikes - heavily discounted thanks to the kind support of JRS Motorcycles.
Anything else will be transported by light aircraft, again thanks to a very generous colleague, or by road.
What’s on the shopping list?
The below gives you a sense of the items most in need. Prescription meds have been omitted here due to the complexities of purchasing and transporting them. This list is eye-opening and humbling.
If you think you could help us source some of these items directly, then please get in touch using the links above.
- Glucometers with batteries, needles and strips, including extra strips.
- AEDs (or manual defibrillators, but modern, with extra defib pads and ECG pads)
- intraosseous sets - not just needles (we have plenty of those)
- I-Gels all sizes, with lubricant
- Decompression needles
- Occlusive dressings (for pneumothorax)
- pulse oxymeters
- BP monitors, on batteries
- BP monitors manual
- Sam splints
- medical bags (Molle FAK pouch or similar)
- soft body armour
- eye drops (dry / irritated)
- eye drops (infected)
- NSAIDs ointments
- baby food for 12+ months
- vitamins for children
- vitamins for adults
- adult incontinence products
- Prawn Cocktail crisps & Tabasco sauce (their medics deserve some home comforts too!)
Who are Pirogov First Volunteer Mobile Hospital (PFVMH)?
Pirogov First Volunteer Mobile Hospital (PFVMH) is a non-governmental organization of civilian healthcare professionals providing medical care on the frontline of the war in Ukraine.
They work in partnership with the Ukrainian state, ensuring that they combine the enthusiasm and flexibility of a volunteer movement with the focused and strategic approach offered by state agencies.
Since their founding, hundreds of their volunteers working in Ukraine have been recognized and decorated for their commitment and bravery by the Ukrainian government.
From day one of the invasion, their volunteers have been first on the scene in combat zones across the country, risking their lives to treat injured civilians and combatants, and carrying out evacuations.
Who are NUNCATS?
NUNCATS is a community interest company with a simple ambition: to use electric light aircraft to maximum social benefit.
We have three areas of focus:
- To connect the world's remote communities in an affordable, sustainable way using rugged electric aircraft, the #electricskyjeep, that is run and maintained by the local community.
- To enable private pilots worldwide to embrace green energy with electric conversion kits that replace fossil fuel engines in their aircraft; and by
- To inspire the next generation of aircraft engineers worldwide through our #electricskyjeep academy programmes