Peter Sewell makes trips to Ukraine border with donations

From extra ambulances and bullet-proof vests to a 50-seater bus to evacuate children from war-ravaged Ukraine, this Hervey Bay dad has been making a genuine difference on the ground. Now, he’s shared what he’s seen and the one image that will stay with him forever.

He couldn’t just watch it on the news – he had to do something to help.

Well-travelled Hervey Bay dad Peter Sewell not only had friends in the Ukraine, he’d also survived enough trips to Middle Eastern and African countries many would consider dangerous, to give him the courage to head into a war zone.

Speaking to the Fraser Coast Chronicle from Spain, Mr Sewell spoke of his three recent mercy trips across the Ukrainian border from Poland, donating supplies – even using his business contacts to get ambulances into the country and a bus to evacuate children – and raising money.

The furthest he has gone into the Ukraine is the city of Lviv, and he plans to return.

He first visited the Ukraine in 1991 and had it on his bucket list to return – but didn’t quite expect it to be under these circumstances.

Last December, he was waiting for Covid to calm down before making plans to travel to the Ukraine.

He booked a ticket to travel to the country in February to meet up with Ukrainian friends, but then “all chaos broke out”.

“Just literally one day my Ukrainian friends are saying ‘When you come we’re so excited, we can recommend some great ski resorts because we know you love skiing …’” he said.

“These same people just literally days went by and next minute they’re hiding in underground with 20 others just lying on mattresses sleeping there in Kyiv …”

“It was pretty tough not knowing if you were ever going to hear from them again.”

A Ukrainian evacuee lay on a couch and check her phone in a university gymnasium in Lviv, western Ukraine. Photo Credit: Yuriy Dyachyshyn / AFP.

Mr Sewell, whose 20-year-old son, Daniel also accompanied him on his first trip into the Ukraine said he was working independently, but partnering with other charities.

He explained one of the charities was with a Ukrainian businessman, another was with a friend inside the Ukraine already doing charity work, and the other charity was with a German friend who already had a charity set up with a base in Lviv.

Seven years ago, he made the move to Germany with his wife, where they now have a tutoring school.

The city of Lviv, Ukraine. Mr Sewell explained the city is full of refugees ready to cross the border. Photo Credit: Peter Sewell.

Pre-pandemic, Mr Sewell visited Australia twice a year to visit his children and grandchildren who still live in Hervey Bay and Maryborough.

In recent months, Mr Sewell has spent extended time in Poland and is currently visiting Spain.

Mr Sewell said his last delivery of donations with his German friend included seven vehicles.

“The last delivery with him, we had four ambulances donated from the Netherlands, we had a 50 seat bus donated by someone, we had like a sprinter van for deliveries that were donated, so all up I think there was seven vehicles and they were all left inside the country,” Mr Sewell said.

Peter Sewell on one of his trips into the Ukraine delivering medical supplies. Photo Credit: Peter Sewell, Facebook.

“The ambulances and the big bus they were being used to evacuate children, especially if they had disabilities, so that’s why we needed the ambulances …

“The stuff that we’ve taken has mainly been food and medical things that they can’t access in the country.

“And usually it’s quite urgent, lifesaving medication …”

Along with fleets of vehicles and food, Mr Sewell has also helped deliver bullet proof vests.

“Then there’s been a few other things like bullet proof vests that are really needed and they pretty much go to the volunteer army that are fighting …”, he said

People pass through Medyka border crossing in Poland heading back into Ukraine on April 06, 2022. Photo Credit: Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images.

At the Ukraine border, people are often waiting in line for 24 hours.

A round trip crossing the border, then heading back to Poland, almost took 48 hours.

“I’ve seen mums just with newborn babies crossing the border …” he said.

“I think it’s partly from shock and just numbness that they’re just sort of standing peacefully in line.”

His most recent border crossing gave him a different perspective.

“The last time I went we delivered the vehicles, meaning that we had to cross the border by foot,” he said

“We were right there face-to-face with the refugees and it was interesting there were groups from all around the world …”

A memory Mr Sewell said would remain with him, was seeing mothers and children wrapped in emergency blankets.

“It was the middle of the night … maybe four or five o’clock that we arrived at the border, and they were wrapped in emergency blankets.

“And I think that’s the thing about this is that for us Europeans, Ukraine is very accessible so we feel like we can do something to help.”

People wave flags during a rally in support of the Russian military operation in Ukraine, in Simferopol, Crimea on April 7, 2022. Photo Credit: AFP.

Mr Sewell said Ukrainian flags were flying everywhere he went including in Spain.

“Even the smallest villages that I’ve been going through I’ve been seeing Ukrainian flags,” he said.

“You can’t escape it here in Europe, it’s everywhere …

“All of society here in Europe is impacted in some way.”

As for what’s next, Mr Sewell said he was learning Ukrainian and planned to return.

“I’m 30 days into learning Ukrainian, so I’ve pretty much dedicated the next year just to helping and working in Ukraine,” he said.

“After the whole Covid thing I just need a bit of a break just for this month to refresh, regroup and even if the war ends tomorrow there’s going to be a lot of work still needed to be done inside and outside the country.”

When he returns home to Germany he expects there will be more Ukrainians living there.

“So, because I can speak German and hopefully a little bit more Ukrainian, it will give me a little bit more ability to communicate and connect them with government organisations,” he said.

“I’m getting requests all the time to drive vehicles into the Ukraine, and I’ll probably organise a few more trips as well, maybe even to Lviv as well next trip.”

One of the Mr Sewell’s deliveries being unloaded with sleeping bags and medicine. Photo Credit: Peter Sewell.

Originally published as Peter Sewell makes trips to Ukraine border with donations