A MERCY mission to the Ukraine featuring directors and staff at Purfleet-based Ensign Bus Company may not be the last.

Thurrock Nub News recently featured the efforts of the Ensign team, including directors and brothers Ross and Steve Newman.

Now they have returned, Steve has spoken about how they came to be involved through his connection with a group of history enthusiasts in Latvia who recover the bodies of soldiers lost in both world wars on the eastern front.

He told Nub News: "The idea came about when the Latvian Group Legenda who recover missing soldiers from WW1 and WW2. I've been a long time active member of the group and was delighted to help when they launched a campaign to send aid to the Ukraine.

"The group has members from all over the and the UK team was formed of myself, Ross and head of International membership for Legenda Matt McDermott.

"The UK vehicle was the fifth such delivery to arrive from the group with two previously from Latvia, one from Holland and one from Switzerland.

"Ensignbus arranged the vehicle and all the logistical support, whilst the medical aid was provided by Legend and Hope for Ukraine UK.

"We left last Wednesday and arrived in Prezmysl on Friday, where the aid was immediately unloaded onto an awaiting Ukrainian truck and moved onto Lviv later that day. The items were at the Dnipro distribution centre before being transferred to local delivery vehicles to go into Kyiv or to nearby hospitals treating the wounded that have been able to escape Mariupol.

"It's felt like the very least we could do but will certainly not be the last help we look to give. We have spoken to our Ukrainian friends and are in direct contact now with them as to what they need and where it needs to be and will see how we can make this happen as efficiently as possible going forwards".

More details on the Legenda/Ensign effort can be found via this link.