Old Army blankets dispatched from Inverness to Ukrainians living close to front line
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Hundreds of old Army blankets surplus to requirements have been gathered in Inverness to send to Ukrainians living in harsh circumstances close to the fighting.
More than 400 blankets were collected at Cameron Barracks after being donated by the Defence Infrastructure Organisation’s Defence Training Estate (DTE) Scotland and Northern Ireland team.
They were previously provided to service personnel at the Army’s training camps across the UK but are no longer needed after new bedding was introduced.
They are now destined to help elderly and frail people in the Kherson region whose lives have been impacted by the destruction of the Kakhovka dam.
They will be transported by Highlands for Ukraine, a charity which swung into action 18 months ago to take aid to Ukrainians following the invasion of their country.
A previous donation of 1600 blankets was sent to Ukraine from Inverness after Col Roddy Wood, of Army Reserve, enlisted the help of the Rotary Club of Culloden to uplift them.
Overseeing the latest operation to uplift the blankets was Lt Col Alan Grant, DIO’s commander of the Defence Training Estate Scotland and Northern Ireland, and Lt Col Brian Ross, logistics support officer, UK DTE, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
"Rather than being disposed of, it was agreed the blankets should be donated to a worthy cause," Lt Col Ross said.
Ukrainian Maryna Kudriavtseva, who now lives in Inverness with her family, is involved in helping Highlands for Ukraine
She was asked by a friend living near the front line if she could organise essential aid for the Kherson region following the collapse of the Kakhovka dam which left tens of thousands of homes completely submerged in floodwater and contaminated with e-coli and cholera.
She said efforts to help those badly hit by the flooding was still ongoing and the woollen blankets would go a long way to providing warmth for the elderly and frail residents who, because of age or disability, cannot, or are afraid, to leave the areas being destroyed.
"It is not only the physical and practical aid that makes such a difference in these beleaguered parts of Ukraine but the fact that people in Scotland really care enough to go out of their way to help, that is so important for morale," she said.
"We are incredibly grateful for everything that the people of the Highlands in particular are doing to support us in our efforts to defend our country."
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The blankets will be transported to Ukraine thanks to an Aberdeen-based transport company that regularly offers to take loads free of charge for Highlands for Ukraine.
It has recently taken 150 boxes of aid donated at collections in Inverness and Dingwall supermarkets.
It included food, toiletries and cleaning materials which will also go to the Kherson region for Mrs Kudriavtseva’s friend to distribute via her charity Wings of Ukraine.
