Australian model Jen Gilmore is helping marginalised refugees escape war in Ukraine

Born and bred Mosman model Jen Gilmore has put her glamorous day job on hold to help feed and house those fleeing the war in Ukraine.

On the Saturday, Australian model Jen Gilmore was in Hamburg posing for photographers.

The following morning, four days after Russia invaded Ukraine, she and her partner, Paul Krause began what would be a 28 hour drive to Ukraine’s border to rescue marginalised individuals fleeing the war torn country.

Gilmore, 28, was born and bred in Mosman on Sydney’s lower North Shore and has worked as a full-time model since being scouted by her agency, Chic Model Management at age 14.

After working for every major fashion label in Australia, Gilmore moved to London to model when she was 21, before making her way to Berlin six years ago where she met her partner, Krause.

However it is her recent work rescuing and housing refugees which brings her satisfaction.

“After a few weeks of constant back and forth as to whether it was actually going to happen, the war broke out on a Thursday,” Gilmore told The Saturday Telegraph.

Jen Gilmore and partner Paul Krause both have been helping Ukrainian refugees in Germany,

“Everyone was in denial about it so when it did happen, people weren’t prepared.

“We put a call out on social media for donations and aid to bring to the border. Our doorbell was ringing every five minutes with a new donation. We gathered and filled six vehicles.

“Then on Sunday we made our way to the border which was an 11 hour journey overnight.”

The couple branded the mission Bridges over Borders. It has since turned into a community working out of Berlin aiming to support BiPoC, LGBTQIA+, and other marginalised individuals fleeing Ukraine.

On their first rescue mission, they drove 32 people from Ukraine to Berlin in their donated eight seater Opal car and are currently hosting 80 people in Germany’s capital.

“We offer our guests safe and sustainable housing options, essential items, medical aid, social integration and immigration advice in Berlin and around Europe,” Gilmore said.

Jen Gilmore grew up in Mosman and has been modelling since the age of 14. Her Bridges over Borders group supports BiPoC, LGBTQIA+, and other marginalised individuals fleeing Ukraine. Picture: Sam Ruttyn

“We are working solely off donations with a growing team of 25 plus close friends and many helpers.”

And while you would expect Gilmore and Krause to have heard some remarkable stories of survival while driving those fleeing Ukraine to safety, exhaustion has meant there have been few words exchanged.

“No stories at all, we are all too tired to talk,” Krause said

“The whole drive was about 28 hours without sleep, so in the car, it was silent.”

There was however one plight Gilmore witnessed which she will never forget.

“One of our Moroccan students … he fled from a university town outside of Kyiv,” she said.

“He and four friends packed up their things within one hour. They had one backpack each.

Donated goods for Bridges over Borders.

Jen Gilmore and partner Paul Krause. . Picture: Sam Ruttyn

“Five of them couldn’t get on any of the trains to go to the border, so they ended up walking for three days. When he got to us, his knees were the size of small soccer balls.

“They didn’t speak much English but they were five best friends who didn’t want to leave each other’s side.”

Gilmore is the first to admit her modelling work can feel trivial when seeing so much pain and trauma.

“I went to work in Hamburg the day before we were gearing up to go to the border and was talking about heading to Ukraine,” she said.

“The photographer asked me what was going on in Ukraine.

“There is a war going on. People are ignorant …. I came back from that job and I was very upset.”

Gilmore and Krause are now focusing on raising more money to continue their work with Bridges over Borders. A fundraiser will take place at The Rooftop in Surry Hills on Sunday.

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