A SANDOWN man who has spent several months in Ukraine this year is preparing to return with a van full of shoeboxes.

Nigel Watson went to Ukraine from April until the end of September, and is leaving to go out again at the beginning of December for an indefinite period.

He is taking a van full of the Christmas shoeboxes that have been collected in churches across the Island and at the County Press office in Newport.

They are for frontline Ukrainian soldiers and there are 700 shoeboxes full of essentials and treats for Nigel to deliver. 

A fundraiser was held at the Wight Bay Hotel in Sandown on Saturday, featuring Wight Harmony Barbershop Chorus, of which Nigel is a member. It raised £500.

Nigel told the County Press about his lengthy recent trip to Ukraine.

He said: "After an evening service at Freshwater Methodist Church, I was overcome with the feeling I had to do something to help the Ukrainian cause.

"I decided there and then to take supplies to Ukraine. Using Facebook, Sue Bell's electronic screen near Lidl in Lake, and Sandown Hub, I set up a pickup point to receive donated supplies.

"People came from across the Island to bring me things, from medical items, to sleeping bags, food and sanitary/baby ware. I left with nearly a full van and a £1,000, which was a good start.

"I left on April 27, originally heading to Ukraine via Moldova, but plans changed on route.

"I headed for southern Romania and the border there across the Danube River at Isaccea.

"I spent ten days there at the border making contacts, sleeping in the van and refuge tent but helping the refugees arriving, by serving coffees, teas etc.

"It was a very sad place, with people dazed, children carrying small pets, people crying.

"Also there could be as many as 500 lorries each side waiting to use the ten lorry ferry. There was free food from the World Kitchen but accommodation scarce.

"I took other supplies during that time to Izmail with a Romanian guy but also did a trip to Odessa with SOS Attitude charity.

"This trip was where I saw my first action. We delivered food to a cellar in a main shopping street where women were making camouflage netting and took our tea to drink outside.

"A large missile was flying over our heads and an anti aircraft gun emplacement 100m away opened fire on it, trying in vain to shoot it down.

"We got back to Romania the same day after negotiating the dozen or so checkpoints.

"I then went to Odessa on my own, delivered my Isle of Wight supplies to a distribution centre and got myself an apartment.

"By this time I had £3,500 and went around the downtown streets of Odessa giving out food I had put in carrier bags to the needy, not forgetting the cats and dogs.

"Eventually I went to a random church on a Sunday morning where a guy came up to me and said 'you're Nigel from the Isle of Wight aren't you? He was an American I'd met in Romania a few weeks before, 180 miles away.

"We sat down and he introduced me to the youth pastor, he was the guy who did runs into the Donbass area with supplies.

"I then bought food, about £700 worth to fill my van, and went with these guys to Zaporozhye, the nuclear plant city, or Mykolaiv, and dropped food around in nearby villages.

"A few close shaves were had by all. Eventually I went on my own until money ran out - £9,400. At least a lot of Ukrainians now know where the Isle of Wight is.

"I eventually drove back mid September but now have many friends in Ukraine. I'm in daily contact with these people and although Ukraine seem to be winning I can say the people out there are in a worse position than when I was there in September.

"People use the bunkers when there's an air raid, whereas they didn't before. Hunger is worse than before as there are no vegetables."

Nigel pays his own expenses and assures that every penny donated goes to good use in Ukraine.