Suffolk’s incredible response to the Ukraine appeal has continued unabated with more trucks set to head to the eastern European country this weekend filled with tonnes of donations.

Five lorries from Anchor Freight, in Whitehouse Road, Ipswich were yesterday en-route to the Poland/Ukraine border to deliver vital supplies, while Risby haulier A&R is preparing to send four 44-tonne HGVs on Sunday.

Meanwhile, collections are continuing across the county as communities have been moved by the plight of civilians who have been caught up in the fighting following Russia’s invasion.

Carl Day, chief executive of Anchor Freight, said: “It has been amazing. They call us ‘sleepy Suffolk,’ but when people need us, we always help and so I am really proud to live in this area.

“The people of Suffolk are just amazing. People have actually come here to make donations. They have even gone to the shops and bought items to bring in here. It is really humbling and it makes you understand humanity really well.”

The five trucks that have already been sent were carrying approximately 80 tonnes, while a further three or four are set to depart on Monday each with roughly 78 cubic metres of trailer space that will be full of goods.

Roly Hollings, managing director of A&R, joked that he now had "more stock than Tesco" thanks to the generosity of local residents.

He said: “It is absolutely amazing. It has been incredible. From Grandma Jo who has given us a fiver to people who have bought items including baby food. I think we have got more stock than Tesco. It has just been absolutely amazing.”

Suffolk shipping company Fred Olsen has also funded a lorry to send aid donated by staff to support Ukrainian refugees.

The cargo of 61 boxes contains women’s, men’s and children’s clothing, medication for adults and children, toiletries, nappies, blankets, batteries, power packs, thermal flasks and more than 70 soft toys.

The donations were collected by Ruslan Postupalenko, who originally comes from Ukraine and runs Felixstowe vehicle repair business RPER Ltd.

He has been working alongside fellow Suffolk firms, including shipping company A2B-Online Ltd, which has donated trailers to carry the donations, and haulier OLMAR Ltd, whose drivers are donating their time to transport the goods safely.

Mr Postupalenko said: “I cannot thank everyone enough for their compassion, generosity and kindness. I’ve not seen anything like this, ever.

“When I first started organising the appeal, I thought it would only be one trailer, however, due to the overwhelming support we are now taking four.

“Every single person who is volunteering or supporting is doing it for a country that is 2,000km away, but everyone truly cares.”

Newmarket-based nanny and maternity nurse Louenna Hood has also been collecting for Ukraine after appealing on social media for essential baby and children’s items.

Two containers of donations have made it to Poland, where they have been distributed to refugees in the Wroclaw area and another two containers are en route.

Earlier this week, 80 refugee babies aged under one year old arrived locally and had access to some of the goods she sent, including 120 travel cots, hundreds of blankets, baby food, milk, nappies, wipes, cream and clothes.

She is now preparing to send another truckload as she still has items to send and donations are continuing to flood in.

In addition to the provision of essential items, she has also raised £54,000, which will be used to help support the families of Ukraine.

Sixth form pupils at Kesgrave High School held a shoebox appeal and collected 800 boxes full of supplies, while the school has donated £750 to Ukraine from the sale of second-hand uniforms.

The charity Gee Wizz has also been collecting for Ukraine following an appeal and Oliver Horsman, brother of appeal founder Gina Long, travelled to the eastern European country to deliver donations, which volunteers had loaded into vans and lorries.

She said: "The love, humility, and unity have been tangible on every level. Everyone involved was so humble; they have no idea of the collective enormous difference they have made. We will be forever grateful.”

To donate to the appeal, visit https://geewizzcharity.com/fundraising/ukraineappeal