ROOKHOPE HUMANITARIAN SPEAKS AT HAMSTERLEY
A MAN from Rookhope who has left for his 11th humanitarian visit to Ukraine has spoken about his experiences there at an event held in Hamsterley Club.
Organised by Heather Richardson from the village, there were folk from around the Dale and beyond there to watch and listen to Kevin Roddam’s presentation. He said he was amazed to see so many people before beginning his talk with a little of the recent history of the war in Ukraine.
It was February 24th 2022 when Russia invaded the east of Ukraine and Kevin, like the rest of the world looked on in horror. It was several months afterwards that he packed up his van with all manner of humanitarian aids and drove to Ukraine. During one trip, he was accompanied – but in another vehicle- by the former Mayor of Peterlee, Mary Cartwright who he met through a mutual friend. They were delivering a vehicle to help over there and it is still running two years later.
During his ten trips, he has spent 11 and half months in Ukraine and he is now well-known there. The name, Kevin Roddam is shouted from the rooftops by leading men and women in the country where he has literally saved scores of lives and made the lives of hundreds of other men, women and children better and safer than any politician the world over has ever done.
He gave an insight into the country, saying the UK could fit inside it two and half times; that most Ukrainians were of the Orthodox religion, 20% of which spoke Russian as their first language. He added that 7m Ukrainians had fled to other countries, including the UK where there are 254,000. 8m have been displaced – many have left the east where the majority of the fighting is occurring – and moved to the west of the country. These people are generally not wanted by westerners and the Government does not give enough money for resettlement.
Heartrending accounts of the abduction of 20,000 children by the Russians was explained by Kevin. These children are indoctrinated into Russian ways of life and given Russian passports. In 2014, there was a similar crisis with abducted children, some of whom are now fighting in the Russian army because they believe they ARE Russian.
It is not easy to being a Humanitarian in Ukraine. It is not as simple as driving there, although that’s what Kevin does – there are many other factors to take into consideration. The risk of entering a country, which does not have the safety of being under the umbrella of NATO; vehicle insurance is not valid; responsibility for your own health lies with you. The UK Home Office advises on its website that travelling to the Ukraine is ‘not recommended’ with a ‘do not go’ guideline so if anything happens out there to a UK resident, they won’t repatriate.
Kevin has advised his wife, Christine, and his family to just leave him there if the worst happens.
He is a very practical man, he is a problem solver and there isn’t much he can’t fix or make do and mend. He is also a Christian and enjoys visiting churches in Ukraine. And he knows the importance of keeping himself safe – some subjects he discussed at the event will not be explored in detail here because he needs to keep himself safe.
Kevin has experienced life in the eastern part of the country . ‘the hot zone’ – and has experienced unbelievable scary moments, including when a Russian missile just missed the van he was travelling in by a split second. He relies on his instinct most of the time but he has help from many Ukrainians who he has befriended, some as interpreters although he has learned some of the Ukrainian language.
He spoke of rife corruption of those in authority, of the internally displaced people whose houses have been destroyed, especially on the Hungarian border. He has visited one disused hospital that is in great need of repair and which houses 16 families, including 14 children. Local Government departments are charged with looking after these people – but they don’t.
Kevin told many stories, usually of children, many in orphanages and it was heartbreaking at times with tales of babies allocated only two nappies per day, one in the morning and one at night. He, of course, takes nappies to that orphanage now, hundreds of them to keep them going until his next trip. He told of buying chocolate for each child at Christmas and of other people who help too. The jolly Ukrainian lady who wears a T shirt that says, ‘Always Look on the Bright Side’ in English and she apparently does, keeping everyone cheerful.
Then there was the little girl whose mother and sister were killed in the bombings and the trauma left her without the ability to speak for months – until Kevin arrived! When Kevin gave her the chocolate, she said, ‘Thank you Very Much’ in English, the first time she had spoken for five months.
Then there is a tiny little boy who took to Kevin on his first visit and who always makes a point of seeing every time. He and Christine did consider adopting the little lad and bringing him to the UK but Kevin is a pensioner and he didn’t think it fair on the boy. He is clearly very special to Kevin.
He spoke about the ‘toy room’ at one orphanage that was devoid of play equipment so he went out and bought enough to fill the room. And of the lady who had been a professional musician but whose keyboard was broken. On his return from that trip, he asked about in his home village and was given one by another Rookhoper. The lady was delighted and now gives recitals and concerts in Ukraine, entertaining others.
Many Weardalians help Kevin, whether that be with donations of money of goods and the event at Hamsterley raised well over £1000 with donations and an auction of donated goods, with farmer and County Councillor George Richardson wielding the auctioneer’s hammer.
Kevin also spoke about other everyday things in Ukraine: the eerie sound of the air raid sirens, the deadly drones that kill and maim, the emotional military cemeteries where thousands of young Ukrainians lie. He visits every grave and leaves badges featuring the Union Jack, fixing them to the flag that hangs on every one.
Kevin also provides items necessary to the troops on the front line – tea, coffee, fleeces, handwarmers and suchlike and it is in these areas that he wears the very heavy bulletproof vest and protective headgear. You can never be too careful.
There were questions from the audience after a huge round of applause and standing ovation for this local hero of ours. So many questions….but in the end the event simply run out of time.
Everyone was agreed that Kevin’s work is vital to the safety of ordinary Ukrainian people and the military and his talk was very, very well received. He deserves a medal of his own and no mistake.
If you would like to help with any fundraisers or donations, contact Kevin Roddam via Facebook
