A Tameside man is flying out to Ukraine for the third time to help refugees in their war-torn country.
David MacCreedy, from Gee Cross, is preparing for his third trip transporting medical supplies, clothing, and support to refugees and military teams.
“There’s a difference between what they need and what they’re getting,” Dave, 54, told the Manchester Evening News. “They are very grateful, but need more.”
The actor has helped organise a fundraiser with The Kings Arms, in Salford, and says people thought ‘he’d have been over there’ to help Ukrainians who had been displaced as a result of Russia’s invasion of their country.
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“Once you see it yourself, it’s difficult to walk away. There were soldiers needing shoes and first aid kits, and children needing blankets and food.”
Dave - who pays for his own flights and accommodation - will set off to Bucharest to make the journey across to Izmail and Reni on Tuesday. He is planning to deliver supplies to three orphanages and local villages.
MacCreedy travelled to the Ukrainian border in May 2022 and re-visited in July where he delivered supplies in the city of Izmail. While providing aid to refugees, Dave experienced first-hand the frightening realities of the war.
“It was a beautiful area and it was so hot and sunny but the detritus of war was never far away. In the evening came the air raid sirens and you could hear jets screaming past.
“We were told the air raid sirens, which called as a warning several times throughout the night, were a matter of ‘roulette’. The bombings were so random, you didn’t know what was going to happen.”
Dave had previously worked on a student exchange in 1990 in Romania after the revolution to research and perform in London, but despite similar sights of struggle, Dave was ‘heartbroken’ at the scenes in Ukraine.
“We collected and delivered many necessities across the border, and it was overwhelming to see exactly where the supplies we’d brought over were being distributed, but it was hard to see it was not enough.
“In part of the university building we visited 11 orphaned and refugee children, and it broke my heart that we weren’t able to provide teddies and other comforts to all of them. I kept crying, but seeing that first hand made the emergency of the situation so real, and continues to encourage me to keep doing what I can to offer support," he told the MEN.
Dave originally set up a Tameside fundraiser but given the country-wide response to donations, he changed the name to UK2UKRAINE to reflect all those who donated.
To help raise further funds, MacCreedy and other volunteers will be hosting a Eurovision Party in aid of Ukraine this Saturday at The Kings Arms, in Salford. You can donate here.
“I’ve set up a JustGiving page that will completely be spent on aid to refugees and military teams. We’re also hoping to deliver more parcels of baby clothes, teddies, and other games for the children to have fun as all should be able to do.
“We’ve had an amazing response from people - including a lady from Hattersley who handmade some cuddly bears which the kids loved. The people of Greater Manchester are still aware this is going on, and continue to donate and give full support to the cause.”
You can donate to David’s fundraising page here.
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