Click the links to watch Rachel’s video diaries of the trip
Rachel has completed a three-day, 1,300 mile trip from her constituency to the Poland-Ukraine border in an ambulance filled with humanitarian aid.
The journey formed part of a long-running charitable initiative by LKQ UK & Ireland, a major employer headquartered in North Warwickshire, to deliver ambulances filled with aid to Ukraine. Rachel said she was honoured to have been asked to take part.
The journey began at LKQ’s headquarters in Birch Coppice Business Park in Rachel’s constituency, where the group departed in a convoy of ambulances. The three-day drive included overnight stopovers in Germany and Poland, before reaching the Poland-Ukraine border where the vehicles and supplies were officially handed over to the Ukrainian authorities for onward transport to the Ukrainian frontline.
The ambulance driven by Rachel was the 50th to be delivered to Ukraine as part of the initiative.
The mission was coordinated by Dawid Kozlowski, Demand Planner at LKQ UK & Ireland, whose tireless commitment has made him a central figure in the company’s humanitarian programme.
Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Dawid has overseen the delivery of 51 ambulances, tens-of-thousands-of-pounds-worth of prescription medicine, and over 1,000 individually tailored Christmas gifts to Ukrainian children across nine cities. In recognition of his contribution, he was honoured with a Volunteer Award at the 2023 BBC CWR Make a Difference Awards.
Speaking at the end of the trip, Rachel said:
I was honoured to be asked to drive one of these ambulances to the Ukrainian border, because it’s one thing to see the generosity and determination in our community, but it’s another to be part of it firsthand. Driving this ambulance has been an extraordinary experience.
The compassion shown by the LKQ team, supported by people across North Warwickshire and Bedworth, is a reminder of the exceptional things our community continue to do to support our Ukrainian friends in their fight for freedom.
Dawid Kozlowski, of LKQ, said:
We have always focused on the most practical and immediate needs – medical supplies, vehicles, and support for children. Seeing this latest convoy of ambulances reach the border safely with the help of Rachel Taylor MP is a proud moment for all of us, especially those who donated, volunteered, and supported behind the scenes.
“The suffering of those in Ukraine continues to be a big issue at the heart of my community, and the support we’ve had from the company to help those in need has made an incredible difference.