Thanks to support from the Hire or Buy Group and the Rotary Club of St Neots St Marys, two new generators worth more than £1,600 will be donated to support families in Ukraine.

The Rotary Club presented Hire or Buy with a cheque worth £840 on December 29 to buy one brand new generator, with Hire or Buy then donating another generator free of charge.

The generators are usually worth around £1,200 but Hire or Buy knocked down the price to accommodate the Rotary Club and ensure that families in Ukraine have power for heating and cooking this winter.

Director of Hire or Buy in St Neots, Zoe Masterson, said: “As a company, we wanted to give back to help the wider humanitarian community.

The conflict is so close to home, and it has affected us indirectly because we know people who are helping and supporting.” 

The Hunts Post: Zoe Masterson, Sue Shaw, the president elect of the Rotary Club, and William Waters, Rotary Club chair of international services committee, with the generators. Zoe Masterson, Sue Shaw, the president elect of the Rotary Club, and William Waters, Rotary Club chair of international services committee, with the generators. (Image: Andrew Maclaren)

The idea to donate generators to Ukraine had started when Andrew Maclaren, who previously set up the Buckden Help Hub for Ukrainians in Huntingdonshire, was approached on Facebook for help.

Andrew said a number of Ukrainian people living locally asked if he could help provide generators for their families still in Ukraine, as they have limited or no power to cook, heat or provide electricity.

Nataliya and Vadim Rudyk, who have lived in Buckden since April, were one of the couples to ask for help as their village in Ukraine was struggling to get the same support as elsewhere.

Andrew said: "What’s happened is there’s a massive requirement now for generators, so they quadrupled the price in Ukraine, and people can’t afford them.

“I went on Facebook and appealed for some. I got three donated quite quickly within a week, and then the Rotary Club saw my Facebook post and wanted to help."

The Rotary Club offered their help with money they had set aside for Ukraine, and Andrew approached Hire or Buy to see what could be done.

Hire or Buy agreed to help and even serviced the three generators donated to Andrew free of charge.

The two new generators are expected to arrive in Ukraine over the next 10 days.

If you have an old unused generator, Hire or Buy is urging customers to bring them in for a free service to further support Ukrainians in need.