Mullingar courier travelling to Polish Ukraine border with medical supplies

A Mullingar courier is travelling to the Ukrainian Polish border in the coming days to bring vital medical supplies to organisations operating in combat zones.

Colm Smullen of Smullen Couriers, whose team has already brought goods donated locally up to a Dublin based haulier making humanitarian trips to Poland with supplies for refugees, told the Westmeath Examiner that he decided to make the 2000 kilometre plus journey to central Europe after talking to someone about how organisations operating in Ukraine, such as the Red Cross, urgently require medical supplies to treat war casualties.

The travel details are still up the air, but he says that one thing is for certain is that he will be making the journey in the next few days. Many hauliers transporting goods to mainland Europe are now avoiding travelling through England due to the post-Brexit increase in paperwork, but Colm is hoping that the British authorities will streamline the process for Irish couriers and hauliers such as his firm who can prove that they are making a humanitarian delivery to Ukraine.

If not, he will have to travel from Rosslare to Cherbourg, an 18 hour journey in itself before embarking on the mammoth drive across half of Europe. The cost of the ferry to France has risen significantly in recent months, but Colm has contacted Stenna Line to see if they offer him a reduced fair due to reason for his journey. If not, two local businesswomen have kindly offered to cover the cost.

Deeply moved by the harrowing images from Ukraine that have been broadcast around the world since the Russian invasion started a week ago, Colm says that he is looking forward to hitting the road and bringing much needed supplies to where they are needed most.

“If we can go directly to the Polish border and meet up with aid groups or whoever will bring the supplies into where they are need, I thought that we might as well do that,” he said.

Anyone who would like to donate medical supplies can contact Colm on 0868615973.