A HEREFORDSHIRE high school is sending its minibus and retired headteacher to Ukraine.

Fairfield High School, in Peterchurch in the Golden Valley, has sent its minibus, driven by retired head of Brookfield School David Gaston, to the Poland-Ukraine border packed with aid for people fleeing Russia’s invasion. 

The fighting has sent more than three million people fleeing the country, by the United Nations’ estimate. The UN reported that 726 civilians have been confirmed killed but that the real number is higher.

Working with KTS Craft Warehouse in Ross-on-Wye, the minibus is taking boxes of essentials like nappies, toothbrushes and toothpaste, sanitary towels, baby milk, soup and cereal bars out to the Polish city of Lublin, where the primary school has been turned into a reception centre. 

Mr Gaston will drive to the border crossing points and transport people back to Lublin.

The journey has been funded by donations from the school community and a GoFundMe page set up for friends and family.

Head teacher Sue Gaston said: “At Fairfield we encourage our students to engage proactively with the world around them, and I am so proud that we are able to help in this way.

“I have been blown away by the generosity of our parents, carers, friends, and family and in just a few days we have raised enough money for several other trips, using our minibus and also supporting a local shipping company. 

“We will be sharing our progress on our school website and social media accounts and regularly updating students in school so that we can help our children to get a sense of the reality of the current situation for ordinary people near the border in Poland and Ukraine.

“Also to see that sometimes other ordinary people far away can do something meaningful to help, however small”.