Latest news with #CumbriaAidUkraine
ITV News
18-07-2025
- ITV News
Cumbrian aid worker prepares for his fourth trip to Ukraine to help war victims
An aid worker from Tebay is preparing to make his fourth trip to Ukraine with a lorry full of aid. Steve Hodgson bought a house in Ukraine to be with his partner before it was bombed, and has since been volunteering to help people affected by the war. Steve says the amount of "destruction and damage" he witnessed when the war first broke out more than three years ago has motivated him to do what he can. He said: "How do you come back to normal life, having seen what you've seen? "Life goes on as normal. A building gets destroyed, a hospital and a school get hit, and within 24 hours, it gets cleaned up. There's a big psychological thing there, 'we're not going to get defeated, we're going to keep going.' "In Odessa, I can tell you what type of drone is overhead. It becomes a normal life, it's hard. "The air raids usually go on during the night, so you don't get to sleep. Then in the morning, you've got to carry on, we have to keep volunteering, and shops need to open." Steve says his work with Cumbria Aid Ukraine and his Ukraine-based foundation called Carna is "making a real difference". He added: "I've got a team that comes with me, and we've established it all together, and between us, we're now working in the Odessa region but also all around Ukraine, supporting different military units. "Ukraine will win this war in the end, but at what cost? All I see while driving across Europe is an endless stream of cars full of aid, ambulances, being donated from Norway, Sweden, Germany, Spain and France. There's so much more support than people realise." Steve has made 16 trips, transporting aid from all over Europe. This week, he is making his fourth trip from the UK with support from Cumbria Aid Ukraine. The group gather essential items for some time until Steve arrives to transport the aid into Ukraine. The volunteer group, based at The Pot Place Garden Centre near Penrith, has also been raising funds to purchase and equip emergency vehicles to support medical services in Ukraine. They've sent over 20 vehicles so far, including ambulances and 4x4 cars. Paul Thomas, from Cumbria Aid Ukraine, said: "The cars are a prized possession because every time a missile lands, a car is destroyed in Ukraine. We see the pictures of buildings destroyed, and we don't think that 300 yards away, a car will be useless from then on, because it will be totally destroyed by shrapnel. "The conditions are so poor that these are the only vehicles that will last any length of time." Paul says the essential items requested can change throughout the year. He added: "We have a list of things we ask for at any particular time, at the moment, that's household goods, baby products, generators, power packs, it changes seasonally, for example, during winter, it could be clothing and bedding." Speaking about whether the amount of donations has changed since the beginning of the war, he said: "We have sudden donations of large amounts of money because we are always looking to buy vehicles, which just come in from a group or people who have run a concert or planned an event - they bring us that money because they know we exist now. That's fantastic."
Yahoo
10-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Popular Cumbria garden centre still for sale
A family-run garden centre in Plumpton, the Pot Place, is still up for sale following the owners announcing they will retire. Owned by Paul Thomas and Kevin Roper, the garden centre was created over 20 years ago. The property was first brought to the market in August last year. Sitting on a roughly 2.75-acre plot, on the site of a former railway, it boasts a specialist pot and garden building centre with a charming tea room, furniture centre, plants, and gift shop. The Pot Place has been up for sale since August 2024 (Image: Christie & Co.) Owner Paul Thomas said: 'We are looking for somebody who will carry on the business the way we have run it, it has taken us more than 20 years to build it up to what it is. 'We are looking to secure the future for it, for our staff that work here but also for our customers.' The Pot Place has a 76-space car park and 90 cover café, which has helped build a community within his customer base. Paul said: 'We are very proud that it is a meeting place where people get together with their friends. 'They use the tea room and the other eating area to meet with friends. There are regulars who come every week.' Alongside the business, Paul and Kevin have also dedicated their time to their charity work through Cumbria Aid Ukraine, a non-profit focused on providing emergency vehicles and humanitarian aid to Ukraine's frontline. Cumbria Aid Ukraine delivering vehicles to Lviv (Image: The Pot Place) Paul said: 'If it hadn't been for the support of our customers here at the garden centre, we wouldn't have been able to set up Cumbria Aid Ukraine. 'However, the reason for forming Cumbria Aid Ukraine was to separate it from the garden centre, such that whoever takes over the garden centre, I wouldn't want them to feel obliged to continue the efforts. 'We will be carrying on the work through the organisation anyway, whether that be from the garden centre or elsewhere.' Paul and Kevin, believe their proudest moments for the garden centre was acquiring the full plot of land in 2005, which they didn't own originally, which included the tea room. Paul said: 'Once we did that, and established the tea room in 2006, that is really when we could see there was a good future in being a garden centre. 'The other major moment was when Cumbria Oak came onboard, which they did at a similar time, and added their furniture store, and allowed the whole centre to work as a business.' With the property being listed since August 2024, Paul provided an update on the sale of the business. He said: 'There has not been anybody who we consider to be a serious enquiry, however we have had enquiries. 'We are looking for someone to run it as it is, we are not in any hurry even though we are looking to retire, we want to wait for the right people to take it on.' The 'lifestyle business' is being marketed for sale through a share sale of 100 per cent of the limited company. Andrew Birnie, Director – Retail at Christie & Co, who are selling the location, said: 'The marketing to date has identified some interest but the site remains for sale. 'We are still looking for that special person who appreciates the glorious location, high profitability and lifestyle that owning and running this business would provide.' Christie & Co, who have listed the site, are encouraging all interested parties to get in touch. You can contact Christie & Co. via enquiries@
