David Fox-Pitt MBE, the founder of WildFox Events Ltd, has created some of Scotland’s most iconic adventure challenges.
To date, he’s helped raise more than £40 million for causes worldwide, and he’s now working hard to help people affected by the Russian invasion of Ukraine by supplying hot food and drinks to tired, hungry and anxious refugees as they cross the Ukraine border into Poland at Medyka.
He is working with the charity Siobhan’s Trust, who have been busy with their project on the border.
David left Perthshire with a pizza oven on 6 March to set up a field kitchen in Medyka.
Siobhans Trust was created in 2020 to commemorate Siobhan Dundee by supporting young people and the environment, but are now helping those in need during the conflict.
A spokesman for Siobhan’s Trust said: ‘We are there to provide food and immediate humanitarian support and on some days we’ve provided over 3000 meals. We initially provided nourishment from our field kitchen on the Polish side of the border.
‘Our pizzas, hot drinks, fruit and home made soups, toasted sandwiches and so on where hugely welcomed by those who had just entered Poland having queued for up to 10 hours at the border control. Sometimes it’s been minus 12 degrees at night.
‘We then started operating on the Ukrainian side of the border where we also provide hot food and drinks as this is where the need is greater.
‘The stream of refugees fluctuates depending on the evolving situation and from our initial hub we have developed many amazing contacts with wonderful polish organisations and individuals as well as other local and international charities. This means that we can support the refugees in a number of other ways.
‘Helped greatly by Harry, Siobhan’s son, we are supplying food to many refugee centres within Poland which are providing temporary accommodation. This could be by simply paying for the groceries or putting a smile on children’s faces by turning up in our newly donated mobile food trucks and cooking pizza for them.’
The spokesman continued: ‘We also find ways to support displaced Ukrainians sheltering within Ukraine and help at orphanages and refugee centres in the east of Ukraine through our contacts in other aid supply chains.
‘When it makes commercial sense and for items not easily sourced in Poland we also fund huge artic lorries of donated aid organised by Tayside and Strathearn Help for Ukraine. Much of these supples are immediately re-distributed into Ukraine itself and include medical aid, clothing, blankets and non-perishable food.
‘We hope that the situation improves so that we can more easily reach those communities suffering in the east. Longer term we have offers of help such as port-a-cabin type kitchens that can be delivered by truck to bombed towns and cities where they are equipped to produce 10,000 meals a day per cabin.
‘In addition, Siobhan’s daughter Marina is helping a number of refugees who are interested in coming to Scotland or elsewhere in the UK. Marina’s husband Phil and her father Alexander Dundee are working with her to try and find ways to improve the visa process.’
Specific inquiries about hosting refugees should go to them via refugees@siobhanstrust.uk
The spokesman concluded: ‘We are proud to have created something really special which offers support to the amazing and stoical Ukrainian refugees, mainly women and children, that we meet at the border.
‘Our Field Kitchen is unusual in that it operates 24/7. We have a wonderful rolling team of volunteers. People have been drawn to help us from all over the world. We usually have somewhere between 15 – 20 people at any one time and always welcome offers of help.’
Anyone wanting to volunteer should contact info@siobhanstrust.uk
Find out more about the charity and its work at www.siobhanstrust.uk
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