Ambulance used on the set of BBC’s Holby City helps people in Ukraine – thanks to Leamington business and Warwickshire-based ambulance company

A not-for-profit company in Warwickshire that helps supply ambulances to Ukraine has partnered up with a Leamington business to help more people – this time with help from a former Holby City ambulance.

Dave Warren, director of Leamington’s builders merchant, MKM Building Supplies, and Alf Rajkowski, a property developer from Hampton Lucy, who is also one of the people behind Ambulance Aid, have a long business history.

The two have now created a fundraising partnership, setting a goal of £20,000 to buy ex-NHS ambulances to be delivered to Ukraine, filled with donated medical supplies.

To kick start the drive, Alf is revealing news of a special donation – an ambulance used on the set of BBC’s Holby City.

The donation of this ambulance came about through a surgeon based in Oxfordshire who contacted Alf after the launch of Ambulance Aid on March 28.

Holby City had just finished its final episode after 23 years and Alf was sworn to secrecy.

The ambulance can now be unveiled and will be on tour throughout Warwickshire to raise funds for Ambulance Aid’s mission, starting at MKM Building Supplies in Juno Road in Leamington today (Tuesday May 3) at 4pm.

Dave and his team have a number of initiatives planned to raise money such as; free breakfasts for customers - 50 a day - and it is hoped donations for this will raise cash here, as well as at the till.

Among the branch staff is Polish-born Greg, a strongman who has towed an ambulance in the past.

One of MKM’s customers, Nigel Howell, has carried a hod of bricks up various peaks, including Kilimanjaro.

MKM has more than 90 branches across the country and the MKM Head Office have promised to match fund the final total.

Dave said: “Like so many, we have watched on with great sadness at the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.

"We want to contribute and help a little to provide immediate frontline healthcare support to the many people in desperate need."

Ambulance Aid’s mission is to deliver medical supplies where they are most urgently needed in Ukraine using and donating ex-NHS ambulances.

Alf and friend, Mark Pritchard-Jeffs, donated and delivered two ambulances with co-drivers, Bogdan Letkowski and Richard Timmis in April.

This was coordinated by Medical Aid Ukraine and Make a Difference UA.

To date, Ambulance Aid has raised £25,000 through a JustGiving crowdfunding page. They expect to send two more ambulances to Ukraine by the end of May.

Ukrainian-born GP and coordinator of Medical Aid Ukraine in the West Midlands, Tania Hébert, is working with Ambulance Aid.

She and a team of volunteers are collating donated medical supplies from Wellesbourne Airfield and is appealing for more supplies from healthcare settings across the region.

The Ambulance Aid team said they are grateful to Dave and all at MKM Builders Merchants for their support fundraising to get ambulances and medical supplies to Ukraine.

The Leamington MKM branch have set up a GoFundMe page. To donate go to: https://www.gofundme.com/f/mkmbs-supporting-ambulance-aid-deliver-to-ukraine