On the second of December we crossed the Polish-Ukraine border for the tenth time in order to deliver aid to those in Ukraine. We arrived home in Hambleton on Sunday, December 10, after a week- long excursion in -16 degrees. Battling ice-covered, unlit roads in freezing temperatures, Stuart admitted that his latest visit to Ukraine was his "worst yet". He explained: "I've never felt temperatures like it "I couldn't stop shaking as I waited for clearance at the Polish border. "The wait was over nine hours long and it felt like an eternity. "When I finally did make it through, I quickly realised that crossing through the country to our stop-off points would be near-enough impossible due to black ice on the roads. Stuart had planned on taking over 2.5 tonnes of warm clothing, bedding, medical, sanitary and toiletry supplies to those in need at Sister Julie's orphanage and those in the war-torn city of Kherson, but was cut short in the western city of Lviv.
He said: "I had to stop in Lviv and hand over my supplies to another aid worker for distribution.
"The roads were nothing short of a nightmare, due to the government, being short of supplies and workers, not being able to grit the roads. "I saw cars spinning off on the roads and realised that it was too dangerous."
With the heavy snowfall making his route impassable, Stuart was also forced to make the decision not to visit Kherson.
The south-western city, which was occupied by Russian forces from March 2, 2022 to 11 November 2022, remains desolate to this day, with those still living there now forced to rebuild their lives.
It was Stuart's hope that he could reach those residents, helping them address their most vital requirements. He said: "It was such a shame that I couldn't reach those in Kherson.
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