Retired photographer Mike McCann is planning his second road trip to Ukraine, to deliver donated goods for refugees.

The Congleton resident was already charitable before the invasion of Ukraine, being a volunteer at a West Heath charity shop on Holmes Chapel Road.

His eagerness to get back on the road to help more Ukrainian citizens stems from his first successful trip back in March 2022. When he travelled over a 2,500-mile round trip to hand deliver essential materials to refugees at a depot in Poland.  

The ex-pub landlord, of the Coach and Horses pub in Timbersbrook, said he's eager to get back on the road and help more people after seeing the heartbreaking sights during his first trip.  

"When I got back home, the first thing I wanted to do was go again," he said. 

"The first trip cost me over £2,000. I'm desperately trying to raise some money at the moment to be able to go back. 

"I've already got the van sorted out, which I've been given this time. I've already got enough materials like pet food to take over." 

Mike's photo of the Warsaw Expo Ukrainian Refugee Reception.

Mike's first trip was a glowing success with the help of local people and Mark Bailey at Glebe Farm. 

"Without Mark at Glebe Farm, being that central collection point, I would have never got the things needed," Mike added.

"Mark is part of the Biddulph Rotary, and they put the word out. He has a small store in the farm selling plants, and he transformed that little area into a donation centre.

"Within two days he phoned me up and said they had enough donations to fill the van of the items that were necessary. 

"Somebody even donated a whole palette of baby food which was absolutely incredible."

Mike also spoke about his experience driving to the refugee 'camp' and witnessing all the Ukrainian citizens after being urged to leave their homes.  

"Walking into the refugee centre for the very first time and witnessing the silence, there was one and a half thousand people in this one room, and there were kids there," he said.  

"You'd think there would be chatter, and kids playing in the corner. But it was complete utter silence. It was really spooky. 

"You've never seen anything like it, it was like the size of the NEC in Birmingham. One room was being used as a warehouse, and the other a dormitory. 

Mike has documented his first trip on his YouTube channel CaminoMike.

"There were thousands of Ukrainians, mainly women and children asleep. It was absolutely devastating; it was literally heartbreaking.  

"But also, heartwarming at the same time because when I arrived in the middle of the night, I had to wait to be unloaded because there were so many other people like me. We were queuing up van after van."   

The journey cost Mike over £2,000, his website offers a full breakdown of costs. This time around he is urging for any businesses from the Congleton area to sponsor his second trip.

"The first time I went, the hire of the van was £670," he recalled. 

The ferry was £270, there was £800 of diesel used. 

"And then there's toll roads, so it cost me just over £2,000 which I paid for out of my own pocket.

Mike - who is a volunteer at MENCAP in Congleton - has undertook a 2714 round trip to help out so far.

"I wanted to go quickly, because it was needed and I thought if I'm going to be hanging around fundraising enough money first, it would waste time. 

"And I'm glad I didn't because on the Polish border the big charities have now got a supply chain, so it's not needed there now. 

"Ideally, I would like a business to sponsor me, with their name down the side of the van. That would be fantastic."  

Alongside planning his next trip, Mike has also set up a 'help' sector on his website.

After extensive planning the first time around, Mike explained he wanted to help others who are in a similar position.

"I get at least one call every single day from someone who is planning their own trip," he confessed.

"So, I made the page on the website to help others. It's small things like paying for tolls, in Poland you have to pay them electronically. It's things like that I want to help with. 

"I've set up a help page on my website for anyone planning on doing their own trip, because what you assume is needed isn't, and where you think it is needed most it isn't."

Mike's next plan is to head into Ukraine to a different depot.

Congleton: You can find advice and a donation area on his website, where he also posts regular updates on his future plans and journeys.

You can donate to fund his next trip here.

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