A homeworker who drove 1,400 miles across Europe to deliver supplies to Ukrainian refugees plans to make the same humanitarian trip again soon.
Hays Travel agent Carla Hodgson and her husband Jason travelled to Speranță Pentru Viitor camp in north Romania, near to the border with Ukraine, last week as part of a four-vehicle aid convoy.
Despite being pulled over by police in Austria and driving round the clock to complete the trip, the mum-of-four said she wants to help refugees in future if the Russian invasion continues.
She told Travel Weekly: “I am already thinking about how we can go back again. We know what they need, so we’ll see what we can do.
“It’s hard because we’ve got a couple of medical appointments at home, so it’s not likely that we can do anything for another six to eight weeks.
“Maybe if the conflict continues, we’ll plan another journey.”
Parents in the camp were “holding it together for their children who were happy to play with toys”, she said.
“We spoke to a family from Odessa who said there were bodies on the floor and so much destruction in their beautiful city,” Hodgson explained.
“They said they were thankful that they had been able to travel in their car. People have drowned trying to cross the river and others have died of hypothermia. It’s minus 14 degrees Celsius.”
She added: “One of the border guards said someone had been shot because they had evaded the normal process. People are pretty desperate to get across.”
Hodgson, who is now returning to her home in Fareham, Hampshire, said it was difficult to leave the refugees in freezing conditions.
“You’re thinking about how you want to stay and help,” she said. “It’s hard emotionally to go, but you’re mindful that you have your own children at home.
“We decided to head back because it will take a couple of days.”
Hodgson said the “only danger” any aid convoy faces is not knowing where to drop off supplies along the Ukraine border.
“You need to have a contact on the ground,” she said.
Asked to reflect on the reaction of the refugees in the camp, Hodgson said there were looks of “bewilderment” on people’s faces.
Pictured (from left): Carla Hodgson and husband Jason