Banbury area couple arrive in Poland today (Monday) to hand over emergency supplies for Ukrainian refugees near the border

Caroline and Beau Willoughby, who own WBS Property Services Ltd, made a spontaneous decision to take much-needed items to Sieniawie in south east Poland after watching the news on television.

Mrs Willoughby said: "I was just sick of sitting in front of the TV crying every day watching the news so I called Beau and said I want to go to the border and maybe help transport people across Europe or something.

"He said he would like to come with me. Then I saw on Facebook the great work that the Banbury Polish Association (BPA) was doing, collecting donations for Ukrainian refugees fleeing their country and decided we should use our van to take some of their donations across."

Mrs Willoughby is half Romanian and is used to travelling across Europe to see her relatives, so the distance to Sieniawie did not daunt her. The BPA obtained a travel permit from the Polish Embassy.

She started a Facebook group - Funds for Ukraine - and began to raise funds for the journey. In days she had raised over £7,000.

"We have three children at Bloxham primary and I told the headteacher about our plan and she informed the parents. One of the other pupils, Bonnie-Rose Oliver, has raised £555 by making blue and yellow ribbons (the colours of the Ukrainian flag) to go towards the cost of the trip."

The funds will go to pay for fuel, Eurotunnel crossing, breakdown cover and hotels and the Willoughbys will be using surplus to buy medical supplies in Poland for the same mission in Sieniawie.

"We will be dropping the van load of donations off at a fire station and then we'll go to shops and supermarkets and fill up with supplies, first aid kits etc, and take them back. We will do this as many times as we can and then leave the area to come home. Any remaining money will go to the DEC (Disasters Emergency Committee)," said Mrs Willoughby.

"It takes 18 hours from Calais to Sieniawie with no stops or traffic so we think we will probably be home around Thursday. Luckily we both have parents close by who are looking after our children which we are extremely grateful for."

The couple left at 6am yesterday (Sunday). Checks on the contents of the van were made on the English and French sides of the channel. Last night, having reached Poland, the couple stopped at a hotel for a shower, four hours' sleep and breakfast this morning. They were back on the road early and spoke to the Banbury Guardian with three hours left to travel. They expect to reach their destination at approximately 2pm.

In the van are medical supplies, bandages, camp beds, torches, batteries, women's sanitary needs, washing items, nappies, baby bottles, soaps, baby blankets and more.

It is understood there are many refugees in Sieniawie where the local community has accepted them wholeheartedly. Schools are expanding capacity to accommodate refugee children to continue their education.

Mrs Willoughby said the BPA, whose first aid lorry left for Poland on Friday, will be sending 11 more lorries out, packed with donations from the Banbury area public, this week.