Morris Lubricants gives David’s Ukrainian mercy mission a £500 boost

David, 59, from Wellington, has launched his Trikes for Ukraine II campaign -https://gofund.me/c5c6b027 - and has already collected 35 trikes for disabled children and young adults in Ukrainian orphanages.

In addition, he has collected 400 blankets with waterproof undersheets for vulnerable people living in a hospice and residential homes for the elderly and 70 soft beds for dogs which he hopes to deliver in July.

However, first he needs to find an automatic 7,500kg GVW curtain-sided lorry to rent for two weeks to drive to the Polish border. The load will then be transhipped onto vans which he will travel with to personally deliver the items to where they are most needed.

David has used his own Sprinter van on his seven previous mercy missions, when he delivered medical and pet aid, but this time he needs a much larger vehicle to transport all the items he has collected.

Oil and lubricants manufacturer Morris Lubricants, based in the heart of Shrewsbury and Shropshire, has donated £500 to his latest mission and David is hoping that either a generous rental business or a haulier will come forward with a lorry he can drive.

Morris Lubricants’ executive chairman Andrew Goddard said: “Total respect to David for the wonderful work he is doing to support vulnerable young and elderly people in Ukraine. We are delighted that, as a company, we can contribute towards such a fantastic cause.”

What makes the mercy missions even more remarkable is that David lives with cerebral palsy and has always refused to let the disability define him as a person. Married with a daughter, David runs his own transport consultancy business, Transportwise and has funded most of his previous trips to Ukraine himself.

He was inspired to help the people of Ukraine because one of his grandmothers was an evacuee herself. She was evacuated from London to Shropshire to escape German bombing raids during the Second World War.

“One of the things I became aware of when I began the aid missions to Ukraine last year was the massive number of disabled children becoming orphaned as a result of the war,” explained David, who has also transported UK visa-ready families with disabilities back to this country.

“I found a televised news clip featuring an orphanage and spotted a young girl aged around nine who has cerebral palsy, like I have, and she was clearly helping the staff with support for others in a respectful way. I saw in that person what I believe are my qualities.”

As a child, David found great independence and freedom from riding a bike with his friends, so he launched a campaign to raise money and bought 21 trikes which were delivered to three Ukrainian orphanages in March.

“I was so emotionally affected by what I saw that knew I had to go back this summer,” he added. “I have bought 35 second hand tricycles, many of which are specifically adapted to support riders with posture and positioning needs.

“I have too many for my van, so I am trying to locate a suitable lorry that I can use to transport them to the Polish border. I would love to hear from anybody who can help.

“I have never done anything as significant as this before. One of the things I learned about myself during the Covid lockdowns is that I am resourceful and can make things happen, which is what I am doing now.”

He praised the support he has received from Oswestry haulage and cold storage company Pentons whose director Gary Penton introduced him to Andrew Goddard at Morris Lubricants.

“I am very grateful for the amazing support from Morris Lubricants,” added David. “It’s a real privilege to be associated with a company that I have known throughout my career.”

Those wishing to support David can contact him on 07517 603333 or by email: davidpryce@transportwise.co.uk .