A selfless Dundee United worker has praised by his bosses for serving to Ukrainian refugees fleeing the Russian invasion - because the membership chairman agreed to donate £10,000 in direction of transport for fleeing households.
Membership worldwide enterprise supervisor Ricardo Cerdan, 45, just lately travelled to a camp close to the village of Medyka on the Poland-Ukraine border with over £2,000 of United-branded outerwear and blankets handy out to these escaping the violence.
Along with different volunteers, he additionally made the journey into the western Ukraine metropolis of Lviv to assist refugees get away from Russian oppression.
He intends to go deeper into the nation within the subsequent week to ferry orphans out of artillery-struck areas to security - with a bus named after Deacon Blue hit Dignity.
Frontman Ricky Ross - an honorary membership patron - has given him the band's blessing.
Dundee United says it is going to contribute £5,000 in direction of a fundraising marketing campaign Ricardo's colleagues have established in help of his mission - and membership chairman Mark Ogren has personally pledged £10,000 of his personal money.
Talking to the File, Ricardo - initially from Barcelona - mentioned he wished to guard youngsters from potential exploitation by prison gangs who're utilizing the Russian invasion to interact in human trafficking.
He mentioned: "I've no relationship to Ukraine in any way - however my good friend is married to a Ukrainian girl who was caught together with her two children.
"I knew some ex-army guys who had been capable of assist and after that determined I wished to assist get individuals out too.
"I went with 70kg of winter coats, blankets and footballs from the membership.
"I used to be giving out sweets to the youngsters, 20kg of them, gone in 10 minutes.
"The picture of giving them footballs and chocolate - that is why I am going for so long as I can.
"I need to go to the orphanages, and get the ladies and children to someplace they are going to be protected from dangerous individuals - from human traffickers, from paedophiles."
After getting back from his first go to, Ricardo concluded that he may do extra - and commenced talking to colleagues at Tannadice about elevating money for transport, meals and medical provides on a return journey.
He intends to purchase the Dignity bus nearer to Ukraine, together with a minivan to move individuals and provides. A London paramedic he befriended on the border, Adam Wiles, helps to coordinate help on the bottom.
As he's planning to remain for as much as two weeks, Ricardo can be working with London businessman Toba Abiodun to rearrange transport for African college students trapped in different components of the nation.
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He added: "Folks have requested me if I am loopy - I'm, somewhat bit, however I do not care.
"I am not an adrenaline junkie - I do not go leaping off of bridges or skydiving.
"My mum and pop aren't joyful however I consider my nephews and nieces and my colleagues' children and ask myself, what if it was one among them strolling all evening in -10C chilly to succeed in Poland?
"These persons are struggling, getting bombed in Mariupol, Kyiv, Lviv, with no option to get out. We have to go."
Ricardo has been paying for a lot of the help out of his personal pocket - however his Dundee United colleagues have began a fundraising marketing campaign, United With Ukraine, to help his efforts serving to the Ukrainians whose lives have been so dramatically decimated by Russian violence.
The fundraiser has a goal of £100,000.
In a press release of help for Ricardo, Dundee United FC mentioned: "His actions have touched the center of everybody at Tannadice and as he seems to be to lift funds for the rescue plan, he has arrange a GoFundMe web page the place individuals can help with the fundraising.
"The Membership, in addition to providing but extra clothes provisions, have donated £5,000 to the trigger."
Ricardo hopes that different Scottish soccer groups will workforce up with United to assist the fundraiser attain its massively formidable objective. He says plenty of gamers have pledged to donate to the trigger.
"There's one thing about soccer basically that pulls individuals collectively," Ricardo mentioned.
"Scottish soccer must be united with Ukraine."
The United With Ukraine GoFundMe web page might be discovered right here.
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