Benson Wood

04/03/2026

Hi
It's Stephen White, here your friendly voice on the phone when you call the office

The countdown is now on

On Thursday, 26 of March , we will be setting off for Lviv, Ukraine 🇺🇦 for our 4th Run

The image attached, shows you how your money is spent, these pickups are vital for getting aid to the front line, and injured people to safety.

We need all the help you can give, please donate, or share and tell your friends and colleagues.

https://donorbox.org/yorkshireforukraine
💙💛

11/06/2025

Teamwork - Makes the Dream Work

Following on from my previous post, I wanted to share with you a picture we took on our last trip at the end of February 2025
This was taken at the Polish Border, and as you can see the organisation was gifted a "Sn**ch Landrover" to take across with the Convoy.

To be fair, although it looks pretty cool, it is not designed for a journey of 1300 miles across Europe, it was slow, uncomfortable and extremely noisy (you actually had to wear ear defenders, to silence the noise)

July the 10th we set off for "Ukraine 3.0" For anyone who has donated, we have now reached nearly half of our target - thank you very much... if you would like to support us please see the link below

https://donorbox.org/farrowsukraine

We have a Instagram page, where you can photos of previous trips , why not give us a follow.

Take care & Thank you.

07/05/2025

Driving Ukraine - February 2025

Update.

To all those that kindly donated to and myself for our Driving Ukraine February 2025 Mission.

The Toyota Hilux that you very generously paid for, the Hilux that we drove down to Preston to Collect, the Hilux that sat on my driveway full of Pot Noodles the Hilux that we drove over 1300 miles accross Europe to Lviv in Ukraine 🇺🇦

The Hilux Has now received modifications and been fully kitted out for Med-Evac purposes... look how awesome it looks!

It's out there right now, saving lives, but looking the business doing it! 👌.... and it's all thanks to you.

Our 3rd Mission kicks off in a few months, we have already started planning.. more information to come.

03/04/2025

Update from Rishi, to all that are following our campaign.

24/02/2025

Today marks the 3 year anniversary since the full scale invasion of Ukraine by Russia

This coming Wednesday my most excellent friend Markgfl and I are travelling across Europe, where we are driving a Pickup Truck to Lviv in Ukraine.

The actual truck we will be driving, a picture of is attached to this post, when delivered will be camouflaged and sent of to the Front Line to assist in Evacuation of Civilians and troops to safety.
It won’t be going empty , it will be packed full of medical, equipment and food aid.

There is now less than two days to go, before we set up and we still are raising money for the Organisation that has now raised over £1 million for the people of Ukraine.

Our trip will be fully documented, our overnight stays food and drink comes out of our own money, it is self funded, but throughout the duration of trip our fundraising page will still be active to take donations.

We have recently made the local press, Richmondshire MP Rishi Sunak is fully behind our cause and understands greatly the importance of such aid for the Ukrainian People (see the link below)

https://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/24944088.sunak-backs-north-yorkshire-mens-bid-support-ukraine/

Full details of our cause, can be found by clicking on this link

https://donorbox.org/marksteveukraine

Take the chance to advertise your business for a small donation by writing on “The Wall” of the fund raising website, for everyone to see as they check back for updates when the mission is complete.

Even just telling all your friends and other businesses would be a great help, by sharing this post with your contacts.
Remember “Every Little Helps” in securing a free and fair world from Dictatorships and Fascism

10/02/2025

Not long now, before we set off on "Convoy for Ukraine 2.0"
Update: to everyone who has donated so far...thank you!!!

Mark (Markgfl) and I travelled down to Preston on the evening of Tuesday 4th of February to collect the very vehicle that we will be driving over 1300 miles to Lviv Ukraine.

It got Stickered up for a photoshoot with MP Rishi Sunak at Richmond Station on Friday 7th of February (see photo) (left to Right) Fynn (Driving Ukraine organiser) myself, Mark Farrow (Markgfl) , MP Rishi Sunak and A lovely Ukrainian Lady.

Please see this link, or ask me for more info if you would like to make a donation.

https://donorbox.org/marksteveukraine

Stephen White (Benson Wood)

23/01/2025

Hi all, not long now before my good friend and I, set off again, Convoy to Ukraine with Driving Ukraine

Following on from my previous post. I thought I would share with you some "Frequently Asked Questions" about our Mission and what you can expect from us.

Q: Why are you doing this?
A: Imagine someone decided to "walk" into your country and destroy your homes, families, tear down communities, Kidnap Children and force them to take a Russian Identity. I would be straight up on that front line fighting for my freedom ... The Ukrainian people are, and they are short of equipment, they need Medical and EVAC Equipment desperately to get to those who need it the most.

Q: Any other reason?
A: I am NOT very good at most things, and don't have a lot to offer myself I cannot get involved in fighting for them. But what I can do is drive reasonably well. Don't get me wrong I am far from perfect, but I can do this to a basic standard.

Q: What else do you get out of it.
A: The feeling that if Ukraine win this war, I have done something albeit a small thing to help them win it.
Selfishly...the chance to go on an adventure, meet new people and have a laugh doing it. Who else can say they have an Ukrainian stamp on their passport?

Q: So it's the chance for a free holiday, right!?
A: Wrong! 1st there is very little time to chill, there is work to be done.. Secondly the only thing that comes out of the charity's money is the vehicle, and fuel.

Q: So what do you pay for?
A: Food & Drink , accommodation, data usage (navigation etc) , travel out of Ukraine and Flights home from Poland - all of this is self funded.

Q: Sounds good, where can I get more information.
A: Ask me!, their website https://drivingukraine.org/ or our fund raising page https://donorbox.org/marksteveukraine

Q: I can donate, but it's only a few pounds is that ok?
A: Of course it is, every little helps (not a Tesco Plug) and is very much appreciated, when you donate all updates will go on the fundraising page.

Q: Sweet! I have a spare tenner I can donate, what do I need to do?
A: Thank you, Visit this Link https://donorbox.org/marksteveukraine

Help Mark and Steve buy, drive, and deliver an evacuation vehicle to Ukraine 🇺🇦In February 2025, Mark Farrow and Stephen White will travel 1,318 miles over 3 days across Europe with the Driving Ukraine team to deliver an evacuation vehicle destine...

09/01/2025

Driving Ukraine 2.0!

Hi Everyone
Stephen White here of Benson Wood your friendly voice on the phone

On the 20th of February 2025, my very good pal Mr Mark Farrow of Markgfl and I are going back to Ukraine, taking along with us as part of a Convoy in a EVAC Vehicle and any aid we can fill it with.

We do not want to ask for donations again, from those that very kindly donated the 1st time.
However this an opportunity for those who did not donate the 1st time round, to perhaps start the new year by doing something good.
The donation page is here, please check it out.

https://donorbox.org/marksteveukraine

Mark has also put together, a report on our last trip. Please have a read.. maybe it will inspire you to have a go yourself. Click the link below, it's safe it's a PDF on my Google Drive.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/16eExBGYIFKr48tFFx7Ff8jNNOJ2wdRaA/view?usp=drive_link

If you would like to have a go yourself, and fancy an adventure, make new friends, get a Ukrainian stamp on your passport and have an experience you will never forget. Then please ask either me or Mark (email links in the document, or via Social Media) for more information.
Lastly Thanks for taking the time to read this, and please share with your friends and colleagues to spread the word.
Stephen and Mark

12/11/2024

Hello

It has now been over 1 month, since I have returned from Ukraine.

I have been in constant contact with the team since then, I have delivered ex- ambulances to Oxford which have also gone on Convoy. And the Organisation continues to do trips with vehicles and aid to Ukraine.
I hope to go again next year, but I would recommend any one does it as what a mind-blowing experience it was, but I have not lost sight of why we are doing this for the people of Ukraine.

As promised, I have done a written account of my experience It covers every day to the point we re-entered back into Poland, where we stayed for two days as tourists. (PDF was too large to share, so I have linked below)
Apologies for my poor grammar in the PDF

(PDF Link)
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1RvIppn35lB0Sc1UMz8R8AnTXgGQ1NkLQ/view?usp=drive_link

And I have collated some of the best pictures and videos of our journey there which you can view on the link below.

I cannot get Google drive to show “grid view” by default so (when you are in google Drive) if you click on the icon to the right of the screen (shown below) it should show up as a grid view, and the pictures are arranged in order “day 1..slide 1” etc (this will make viewing a lot easier)
(click the “blue” section to arrange photos into a viewable grid layout)
When in grid view, opening the 1st one (a video) titled “Day1_Slide1” you should be able to simply view like a slideshow, and select right arrow to view the next one.

Some are my photos, and some are not my pictures so credit to the respective owners, but they are photos taken from our group on our mission.

Thank you again and thank you for reading and viewing. Please ask me if you have any questions, or would like to share your comments

(Link here to pictures)
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1lMHEZomLEyHArVZsFHkB5UzDfbDBm8Wn?usp=sharing

Kind Regards

Stephen White

16/10/2024

On Sunday, I was asked to drive, one of two ambulances, from Scorton Village, North Yorkshire to a site in Oxford for the organisation "Driving Ukraine".

The ambulances where privately purchased and donated to the charity.

The next leg for these two, will be Ukraine.

My good friend Mark Farrow (Rear Ambulance) and I