Castlebar man to drive vehicle to Ukraine for Mayo aid appeal

A Castlebar man is appealing for help to deliver a donated vehicle from Mayo to Ukraine.

Pete Rushton has set up a GoFundMe page with a target of €5,000.

He is aiming to purchase vehicles and supplies for emergency crews and humanitarian teams working in the country.

The Castlebar native plans to donate a vehicle from Mayo and drive it to Lviv himself, with €3,500 to cover the cost of the vehicle.

The other €1,500 will pay for his journey to Ukraine and his return home.

He will collect medical and humanitarian aid along the way, in conjunction with the charity Drive 2 Save Lives.

Mr Rushton said Ukraine faces a severe shortage of vehicles since the invasion began.

Many cars, vans and ambulances have been destroyed in missile strikes, abandoned during evacuations or redirected for military use.

That leaves aid workers and communities without the transport they need to evacuate civilians, deliver food and medicine and reach people in remote or frontline areas.

Anyone willing to donate can do so via GoFundMe