A SHOBROOKE humanitarian is raising money to send a minibus to a partially destroyed school in war-torn Ukraine.

Joe Bussell hopes to raise £750 to help cover the cost of sending the 17-seater Ford Transit to a school in Zaporizhzhia, which suffered air blast damage from a missile earlier this year.

“Some children have a temporary classroom 30 feet underground in a secure bunker and others are in buildings in and around the neighbourhood,” said Mr Bussell.

“At present they have no proper transport to help with all these sundry travel arrangements so I am trying to ensure my 17-seater Transit minibus is delivered to that school.”

Mr Bussell hopes to fill the minibus with medical aid, clothes for civilian and military use, non-perishable food, toiletries, baby items and more. Some of the aid will also be delivered to Vasylivka, a city south of Zaporizhzhia.

It will be the fifth vehicle he has donated to the war-torn country.

“I have been involved with helping Ukraine for over four years and in that time completed three journeys to deliver humanitarian aid directly to Komarno, Lviv and Kyiv driving large long-wheelbase vans,” said Mr Bussell.

“Since 2023 I have acquired four vehicles to donate to approved organisations again all fully loaded with aid.

“Two were driven out to Ukraine by colleagues and two were passed to Aid for Ukraine Gloucestershire who loaded these onto artic trailers and delivered piggyback fashion.”

Mr Bussell will be delivering a free public presentation on his humanitarian work with Ukraine at 2pm on Friday, August 28 at St Thomas Church Hall, Exeter.

You can donate to the minibus fundraiser online by visiting: justgiving.com/crowdfunding/joe-bussell-2.

If you would like to donate items to fill the minibus, contact Mr Bussell via his Facebook page: facebook.com/joe.bussell.397 to arrange a collection.