Members of Tavistock Lions Club are delighted with the response that they have received so far from the local community for monetary donations and goods for their shipment to Ukraine following the article in last week’s Tavistock Times and the various posts on Facebook.

Lions Ken Shield and John Dawson will be setting off to Warsaw in the small hours of Thursday February 2 with nine other vehicles which are being co-ordinated by Callington based Darren Tait and ‘Sending love to Ukraine’ which will be carrying much needed aid for onward transportation to Ukraine.

In an effort to raise more funds to finance the five-day round trip to Poland and back, the Lions will be holding bucket collections in the Square on the next two Fridays (January 20 and 27) as well as this coming Saturday (January 21) and it is hoped that some of the Ukrainians currently staying in Tavistock will be there to lend their support.

As well as this money collection, the management of Tavistock’s Tesco has agreed that the Lions can collect donated goods at its store today (Thursday) Friday and Saturday and the same days the following week.

There will be a table in the entrance area loaded with goods required in Ukraine and shoppers will be invited to pick up as many items as they like, pay for them with their own shopping and then give then to the Lions as they leave the store.

The club said that it was very grateful to the support of store manager Stuart Wood and community champion Vicky Davey for making this happen and that knowing the generosity of the people of Tavistock and surrounding area, it is confident of a great response.

In the meantime, packing of goods by Lions Club members continues a pace in the warehouse of Sovereign Wines on the Plymouth Road Industrial Estate, a company that is not only providing a drop-off point for goods but is loaning a van to Ken and John for the journey. There are two other drop-off points in Tavistock namely Shields DIY on Vigo Bridge and View in Paddons Row, Tavistock.

The last date for donations is Monday, January 30.

Anyone requiring further details can contact Ken Shield on 07887 875813 or visit the Lions’ Facebook page or website or call 0345 8334807.