Specially made family of teddies from Chorley with important mission set off on a bus to Ukraine

Frank Liszczyk and his friend Steven Norris have been working closely with Stuart Clewlow, coordinator of the Chorley and District Support for Ukraine Group, and have successfully crowdfunded £3,000 to fill the van full of aid and donations and drive it close to the Poland-Ukraine border.

Donations on board the van have come from Adlington, Buckshaw Village, Chorley, Coppull, Euxton and Whittle-le-Woods, to name just a few.

However, on board is a very special someone, who has been tasked with a very special mission and he has a message to share.

"Hi, my name is Endeavour (Iндевор in Ukrainian) and I am driving to Eastern Europe in the Chorley & District van with Frank and Steve to take donations to those in need.

“l also have a very special mission of escorting a family of bears to find a Ukrainian family who will look after them, as a gift from our community.

“I will do my best to succeed in sending a gift of love from Chorley to Ukraine.”

Frank of the Chorley Anglo-Polish Group added: "The sadness and hurt we feel for the people of Ukraine, who have endured so much again gives us the strength and resolve to support their cause.”

Local businessman Steve said: “Chorley may not be the biggest nor the wealthiest town in the UK, but it certainly has a big heart.

"We have simply wanted to do more to help the people of Ukraine and the generosity from across the borough of Chorley has enabled us to do just that.”

Nearly 100 pallets worth of aid has left the borough bound for Eastern Europe and this has been transported as part of larger convoys and those commissioned by organisations such as International Aid Trust.

He said: “It’s great that we are able to send a van of aid to help those in great need.

“The van will be filled with items such as medical products, First Aid kits, nappies, blankets, duvets and food.”

“Leading the way there and back will be a teddy, made by a member of our Support for Ukraine group, and we have named him Endeavour.

"Initially, he was going to be packed amongst the donations but I felt he had an important job to do instead.

"Endeavour means to try hard to do or achieve something and so he symbolises our efforts to help the people of Ukraine.

"When the aid is distributed in Eastern Europe Endeavour will have the task of finding a child who deserves to be given a specially made family of teddies as a gift from Chorley.

"It is a small gesture but one which hopefully gives a child hope that there is still good in the world.”