FOUR vehicles full of donated goods from the Peeblesshire community will be driven to the Poland-Ukraine border next week to support fleeing refugees.

Staff at Peebles-based courier business Cavalry Transport Ltd have been collecting and packing boxes of donations since Sunday (February 27).

And directors Andrew Macnab and Robert Sloan – who founded the company in 2011 – said they are “overwhelmed” by the generosity of the people of Tweeddale.

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“We’ve been quite overwhelmed by how generous folk have been,” said Robert. “Folk have been going to the shops and buying brand new stuff.

“To me it’s quite impressive what folk have done.”

Andrew added: “All week staff have been unloading cars and packing boxes, they’ve all just got on with it.

“People’s generosity has been overwhelming and heartwarming.”

The Cavalry Transport team was inspired to start collecting donations after speaking with Andrew’s friend Marcin Bronne.

Marcin told Andrew he had spoken with his parents in eastern Poland whose town is “overflowing” with refugees from Ukraine.

Andrew said: “My Polish friend, Marcin, his parents stay in eastern Poland and their town is overflowing with refugees.

“He wanted to do something to help and we wanted to do our bit as well.”

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The company had already sent two full vans of donations to fill a lorry going to Poland.

However, it is expecting to send two of its own vehicles, as well as two donated by other businesses, to an aid drop-off point in eastern Poland next week.

Vehicles have been donated by Kingsmeadows Nursey in Peebles and Night Fox Logistics.

And driving Cavalry’s two vans of donations will be Robert and Marcin.

The pair are planning to get the ferry on Monday (March 7) night and are expected to reach the drop-off point by Wednesday (March 9) morning.

When asked about the drive to Poland, Robert told the Peeblesshire News: “It’s a bit of unknown. We don’t know what we’re going in to but I think it will be alright.”

Andrew explained that when they realised the volume of donations they were receiving they put a call out on social media to local businesses for additional assistance in covering the cost of transporting the donations.

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He said: “After realising the volume we were getting we appealed to businesses on Facebook for support.

“And we’ve been overwhelmed by the support of businesses and individuals.”

The business will continue to collect donations for Ukrainian refugees until 5pm this evening (Friday, March 4).

Andrew said: “We still need kids’ medication, like Calpol. I’ve got a two-year-old and I know Calpol is the go to.

“We need nappies, batteries for torches and sanitary items. Those are the priority items at the moment.”

Donations can be dropped off at Cavalry Garage Services on the Dovecot Road industrial estate in Peebles.

For more information on items needed visit the Cavalry Transport Facebook page.