Local haulier delivers aid to war refugees

A Moate man who was “horrified” by the invasion of Ukraine, travelled on Tuesday as part of a convoy of articulated trucks to deliver supplies to a town in Poland, close to the Ukrainian border.

Hugh Flynn, Managing Director of Flynn RoadFreight, said there has been a “huge response” to a collection at their depot in Moate in recent days, gathering items like toiletries, canned goods, dried foods, baby clothes, and nappies to distribute to refugees fleeing the war-torn country for the safety of the EU.

“We got a very good response from the greater community around Moate, but the same has happened all over the country, and that will be consolidated (in the trucks) to maximise what is brought out.”

His comments came as councillors in the Athlone/Moate Municipal District agreed unanimously with a call by Cllr Aengus O'Rourke for the Ukrainian national flag to be flown alongside the Tricolour at Athlone Civic Centre following last week’s the invasion of Ukraine by the Russian Federation.

Mr Flynn explained how his involvement in the initiative happened. “How it came about is like everyone else I was horrified by what happened in Ukraine. The weekend before last I was just thinking about what could I do, I previously went to Bosnia myself some years ago, with another guy.

“I just said 'How can I do this?' and I opened up social media and the first thing that jumped out on Monday morning was a company called Hendrick European who were organising a collection and transport out to a town in Poland. So we reached out to them and that's how it came about,” the Moate man explained on Monday before he departed the following day as part of a convoy of up to a dozen articulated trucks delivering much-needed aid.

“It's very hard to know what it will be like on the ground. I and the others will be going to see it for a few hours but obviously, it's different for the people (the Ukrainians seeing it all the time). Obviously, it will affect them differently long-term.”

Hugh, who has over 35 years of experience in the haulage sector, is expected to get to the Polish/Ukraine border by Saturday or Sunday, all going well. The group, which includes Aid from Ireland, BM Transport, Virginia International Logistics and Amigo International will travel to Dublin port for shipping to Cherbourg in France and then in excess of 2,100km over land to Hrubiezow, on the Poland/Ukraine border.

He thanked his colleagues in Flynn RoadFreight, the greater community in Moate and surrounding areas for their generosity and support for what he is doing.

“It's a positive being able to do this and it's for a good cause,” he commented, saying normally their business concentrates on travel all around Ireland and the UK, but the fact they have an international licence allows him to do this essential run.

“People have very generous with items (needed in Ukraine) and financial contributions as well,” he ended.