A local business is set to head off towards Ukraine with two lorries full of vital medical supplies and humanitarian aid for those affected by the ongoing Russian invasion.

FM Metals in Enniskillen put out a call for donations last Monday, March 14, and since then have been taken aback by the generosity of the people of Fermanagh.

Not really knowing what to expect when they started looking for donations, they now have enough to fill three 40-foot lorries to send to the wartorn country.

As well as people leaving donations with them, local organisations that were also collecting will have their collections brought over to Ukraine.

Speaking to The Impartial Reporter, Frances Trainor said her and her husband, Fergal, decided to do something after watching the news about the invasion and war.

“We were watching the news and I said to Fergal, ‘We can’t sit and do nothing’,” said Frances. “We have lorries, we have trailers. Could we put it out there and it was a case would we even get enough? But now it has developed, it is enough for three loads.”

Frances and Fergal are in contact on a daily basis with Irishman Tommy Byrne, who is on the ground in Ukraine, and is letting them know what supplies are urgently required.

“He’s giving us daily updates about what they need, which changes every day. Hospital supplies are badly needed,” said Frances, and they have a lorry full of them ready to go.

“We are so lucky it just happened. Tommy was with the doctors out there and apparently the excitement they got from this [news was huge].”

With the first lorry with urgent supplies on its way from today (Thursday), when it reaches the Poland-Ukraine border, Tommy will then take over to get the supplies to where they are needed.

“The load that is going today, it is quite urgent. Once Kevin goes, Tommy is there, meets Kevin and gets the supplies and within half a day it is with the hospitals and whoever needs it the most.”

Both Fergal and Frances were impressed by the kindness of the people of Fermanagh which has helped fill the lorries.

Fergal said they had got in touch with local communities while other organisations contacted them to see if they would be able to take what they had collected. Others had donated money which went towards other supplies they are taking over.

“People kept coming on and it just kind of skyrocketed. It’s great to see,” said Fergal. “Then there are people ringing and people coming and dropping off stuff – it’s mad!

“They were calling yesterday for hospital supplies, and we have a full 40-foot load waiting here for them.

“They can’t get water, so we bought a full pallet of water, full pallet of toilet roll, full pallet of flour,” he said.

For Frances, seeing all the donations fills her with immense pride in the local community: “It’s fantastic, it would make you think you are proud to be where you are from. It has just been amazing.

“There has a lot of people who have been so helpful. The Fermanagh people should be really proud of themselves,” she added.

For anyone wanting to donate they can get in touch, with FM Metals at 0286 634 7627.