A group of serving and retired police officers have been taking aid to Ukraine in an effort to support their counterparts currently serving in the country.

The Cops For Ukraine project began when Jim Clark and Rob Stordy from Cheshire Police joined an aid convoy heading from Macclesfield.

They were accompanied by Leek town councillor and retired Gloucestershire Police officer Roy Molson, who's been organising aid collections in the Staffordshire Moorlands.

As well as helping ship the aid to Ukraine, the group has also been fundraising to pay for supplies and so far they've raised nearly £4,000.

They've sent things like first aid kits to help officers deal with medical emergencies, as well as Easter eggs and handwritten messages from Ukrainian national who are currently living in the UK as a way of boosting morale.

They said that while there is work being done to support the general public in Ukraine, they'd noticed there is also a need to support Ukrainian police officers and their families.

Jim Clark said: "Myself and my colleague accompanied Macclesfield Ukraine Aid on a trip to drop off some aid and some vehicles.

"It was on that trip that we realised the attention may be on everyone else, but the police officers in Ukraine still have a job to do.

"On 14th February last year they tuned up for work, and were told to put on their combat gear and to pick up a rifle. A lot of them then headed out to defend their country.

"On 22nd February last year, over 50 officers lost their lives in Kyiv when the city was attacked.

"As police officers here in the UK, we know what it's like to turn up to a shift to be told you've got to stay on a bit later – but their lives have changed drastically, and so we wanted to show a bit of blue light unity."

So far Jim and his colleagues have been able to buy 25 first aid kits and they've also had a set of specialist trauma blankets donated by a company in Wales.

He said: "We managed to deliver these to the Ukrainian police, which was very emotional for us and for them – and they were extremely grateful for what we brought over."

Jim has served almost 20 years in the police, and before that he was in the army – and says some of the skills he's acquired have helped the group stay safe while delivering aid into Ukraine.

Roy Molson is based in Leek and has also joined the convoys delivering aid.

He said: "I run the Ukraine aid project in Leek, and because we're a collection point we help supply a Macclesfield Ukraine aid group.

"We've been doing it for well over a year now – we got involved almost immediately after the conflict started.

"We don't want two groups duplicating the same thing so I drive as part of one of their conveys.

"We collect aid at Bank House in Leek and link up with the group in Macclesfield to get the aid out there.

"Jim and Rob told me about the Cops For Ukraine initiative, and I thought it's fantastic.

"Some of the police out there are on the front line, and they're also having to deal with the aftermath of explosions and things."

Jim and Rob are continuing to raise funds via the JustGiving site, with over £5200 currently raised.

If you want to deliver aid to Ukraine from Macclesfield click these red links to find more about Macclesfield's two Ukrainian aid groups.

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