A man from Canning Town drove about 12,000 miles from London to Ukraine to deliver donations and supplies to the Ukrainian people.

Graham Cribbs, senior partner at T Cribb and Sons Funeral Directors, said he set off on September 20 and arrived at the Polish border on September 23.

T Cribb and Sons gave him three vehicles and other organisations donated clothing and medical supplies, he said. 

Graham said: "The vehicles were all registered to the Ukrainian army so we went via the Channel Tunnel. They gave us free passage for all of our vehicles and passengers as a token gesture. The Dartford Tunnel didn't charge us either.

"We then went through France, Holland, Belgium, Germany and into Poland, doing 12,000 miles in two and a half days."

Newham Recorder: Graham said the Rotary Club of Canvey Island donated pot noodles and soupsGraham said the Rotary Club of Canvey Island donated pot noodles and soups (Image: Graham Cribb)

Graham said he travelled with members of the Worshipful Company of Carmen who also donated vehicles and supplies.

It was too dangerous for the group to enter Ukraine, so the Ukrainian army came to the Polish border and collected the donations at customs.

This included clothing from St Nicholas Church Canvey Island, soap from Rotary Club Canvey Island, and walking sticks and frames from UK Aid. 

He said T Cribb and Sons donated a hearse, a truck and a van.

Graham said he left the vehicles at the border and took a flight back to the UK.

"The van is being used by a village because we took a load of food stuff over so that's being distributed. The truck is with the army because they lose a few vehicles every hour there.

"The Ukrainian army requested a hearse because they'd been using trucks to bury their dead and obviously dignity goes right out of the window [during wartime]. We had a spare that we donated."

Newham Recorder: Graham said the Ukrainian army requested a hearse be donatedGraham said the Ukrainian army requested a hearse be donated (Image: Graham Cribb)

Graham added: "I'm 70 and you see people my age out there - it's horrendous. They don't sleep through the night - just in bunkers.

"You've only got to talk to people like my father, who is 94, who lived through the war, to know what it was like in the east end of London [in wartime]. This is the least we can do."

T Cribb and Sons has locations throughout London, including in West Ham, Canning Town and Dalston.