Thousands of food parcels funded by a ‘Rail Partners with Ukraine' fundraiser last September are now being delivered to Ukrainian rail workers and their families.
In Ukraine, they are known as the ‘Iron People' as many of them are working on the front line helping to repair damage from Russian attacks, including missile strikes during the Christmas period.
The ‘Rail Partners with Ukraine' fundraiser was supported by Rail Partners and its member private-sector passenger-owning groups, freight operating companies, and other industry colleagues. A total of £106,000 was raised to fund the purchase of the food parcels and deliver them to Ukraine.
The funding went into a wider Global Ukraine Rail Task Force, which includes financial support from American, Norwegian and Swedish rail companies. The charity WE Aid arranged the aid delivery which was distributed to individual workers and their families by the Trade Union of Railway Workers and Transport Builders of Ukraine.
Included in the food packages are essentials such as oil, sugar, flour, salt, pasta, rice, corn and wheat cereals, canned fish and meat, pate, tea, and biscuits, which are sourced from within Ukraine. Some of the funding has also gone towards buying household cleaning products for rail workers who have been forced to flee their homes due to the fighting and are living in temporary accommodation.
Last Thursday, 11 January, a delegation from the Global Ukraine Rail Task Force visited Kyiv to show its solidarity with their rail colleagues working in the most difficult of circumstances and to raise awareness of their ongoing struggle. Among the delegation were Rail Partners chief executive, Andy Bagnall, Steve Montgomery, managing director of First Rail, and David Brown, managing director of Arriva Trains.
During the meeting, the CEO of Ukrainian Railways (Ukrzalinytsia, or UZ) Yevhen Lyashchenko and the CEO of UZ's Passenger Rail division Alexander Pertsovskyi were presented with a symbolic cheque representing the monetary value of the aid.
Anyone wishing to donate to the Global Ukraine Rail Task Force to support the Ukrainian Railway and its people can do so by clicking here.
Following the visit, Rail Partners chief executive, Andy Bagnall, said: “It was a privilege to meet the Iron People of Ukraine's railways and hear first-hand about the work they've been doing to keep the railways running in incredibly challenging circumstances.
“Rail Partners members are proud of the food aid we have been able to provide Ukrainian railway workers and their families so far. Thank you to colleagues from across the British rail industry who donated to make this happen.
“It's important for us to continue to raise awareness of Ukrainian Railways' struggle and to show solidarity with rail colleagues there. We need to highlight what they are achieving in very difficult circumstances – and encourage colleague across the railway and beyond to continue to help support them.”
Steve Montgomery, Managing Director of First Rail, said: “As part of the railway family we wanted to demonstrate our support for Ukrainian workers. We understand how important this is. We believe it's the right thing to do and it's what our staff back in the UK would expect us to do.”
David Brown, Managing Director of Arriva Trains, said: “‘On behalf of the UK rail industry, we wanted to show our solidarity with our ‘railway family' in Ukraine and express our admiration for what they are achieving in such difficult circumstances.
“From a distance, it was hard to get your head around what they were doing and the calm, focused way they have responded in a time of conflict. It's inspiring that the leadership of Ukrainian Railways sees this challenging time as a catalyst to drive positive change.”
