Humanitarian aid convoy leaves Greystones for Ukraine
Eoin O'Reilly, CEO of AllView Healthcare who donated the ambulance, pictured with children from St. Patrick's School, Greystones.
A group of Greystones volunteers have set off on a 2,500 km journey across Europe to bring vital aid and vehicles to war-torn Ukraine. A centrepiece of the convoy is an ambulance donated by AllView Healthcare whose CEO is Greystones local Eoin O’Reilly.
As a healthcare company we know only too well the reality of ill people and what they need so it’s our duty to help those in need
– explained Eoin. He co-founded the Carrickmines based AllView Healthcare which is Ireland’s largest dermatology service provided with clinics around the country. Eoin said the ambulance, which is fitted out with essential medical supplies, will be going to a paediatric hospital in Ukraine.
He is driving the ambulance accompanied by a group of friends, primarily from Greystones, as part of a convoy delivering utility vehicles (SUVs), a minibus, a truck along with nearly €500,000 worth of essential supplies for the Ukrainian people.
In all, 22 men will drive 14 vehicles, each loaded with medical supplies travelling through Belgium, Germany and Poland en route to Ukraine. This 3,500 km journey has been organised by Sammy Byrne and Finola Harrington, founders of the philanthropic organisations Jeeps for Peace and What About Us.
The team will drive the supplies deep into Ukraine, a country still enduring daily attacks from Russian forces. Mr Byrne emphasised the urgency of the mission, noting that the average lifespan of a four-wheel-drive vehicle on the frontline is less than three months.
SUVs play a critical role in field hospital work, transporting injured soldiers from war zones, making them ideal for carrying medical supplies.
Generous contributions for the aid convoy have come from various organisations and companies, including AllView Healthcare and PetStop in Carrickmines and Caterhire in Sandyford – along with all major Dublin private hospitals and the HSE – helping to fund over €500,000 worth of critical supplies.
For security reasons the team is not disclosing their exact route or the location of the vehicle handovers in Ukraine. They departed from Greystones on Thursday morning, September 26th with a blessing at St Patrick’s Church and a heartfelt send-off from a choir of St. Patrick’s school children.
From the Morning Show on East Coast Radio:
This article was first published by Wicklow Times, on 8th October 2024. You can read the original article here.
