Andrea Fraser, an Edinburgh-based human rights lawyer, completed a marathon journey to Lviv and back earlier this afternoon.
She began by driving an ambulance and trailer from Krakow to Ukraine beginning in Poland on 12 October full of around £15,000 of medical equipment. The vehicle is a fully-equipped first responder vehicle branded with the Baby Lifeline name. The equipment was funded by Babylifeline and Association of Ukrainians in Great Britain (AUGB). She then handed over the supplies to local volunteers for distribution to points of need such as hospitals or makeshift shelters.
Andrea explained that one of the pieces of equipment is Baby Lifeline specialist birth bags which enable expectant mothers to be given medical attention anywhere – and however complex the birth. Other equipment included defibrillators, personal protective equipment (PPE), stretchers and blankets.
She then cycled solo from Lviv to Edinburgh without having even one flat tyre on the 1,250 mile route, and arrived at AUGB on Royal Terrace accompanied by two outriders. She had planned a stop in London to work at her day job and then took a train to Berwick upon Tweed and she cycled from there back to the capital.
Her family had all travelled from Struy in the Highlands to be at the finishing line to greet her. She was not expecting them – but was anxious to get a hug from her wee Jack Russell, Rudi who was sporting the Ukraine flag and a Saltire.
Andrea’s partner, Joss Beharrell, told us that she has been involved with a lot of different charities throughout her life. She has worked during the Afghan war and the Iran war with different bodies and now Ukraine. Her love of animals has led her to work with charities which get animals out of the war zones, as well as people and now babies in her work with Baby Lifeline.
He explained that her charity work is also centred on a body called Breaking the Chains. He said: “Breaking the Chains help people on the frontline in Ukraine trying to create medical aid boxes to assist there. They also help rescue cats and dogs and that is definitely close to Andrea’s heart. Rudi is definitely looking forward to seeing her – he is really the love of her life.”
She was accompanied on Saturday by Ivan Tukalo, the former Scottish rugby internationalist, who joined Andrea on the cycle at Berwick upon Tweed this morning.
Ivan said: “I met her at Berwick upon Tweed so I’ve only done a paltry 50 odd miles. Fair play to Andrea she is an absolute star. I think she enjoyed the company, as she has had to do the rest on her own.To have someone to keep her company on the last leg made all the difference for her. We left this morning about 10 o’clock but had a stop off in Gifford for cakes. I needed some fuel so I had cakes and she had a proper meal. Then we got back on the road to get back here.
“I was supposed to be at Murrayfield to watch Scotland against Fiji, but there are plenty of times to go and see rugby. I really wanted to be with Andrea today.”
The second outrider, Mark Horeckyj, who is a member of the Ukraine club joined the ride at Gifford at lunchtime on Saturday. He said: “I just wanted to take part in all this amazing achievement that has been going on in recent days. So it was just a short ride but my own way of contributing.” Mark’s late father was Ukrainian, and he said that that a “wee bit of today was for him as well”.
Andrea was a bit overwhelmed as she crossed the finishing line – a line of blue and yellow bunting held across the road on Royal Terrace. She told the Edinburgh Reporter it now felt that it was worth every tear and every mile.
She said: “I have been involved in sending aid to Ukraine since February. The people I’ve met have been some of the most incredible, inspiring people that I have ever met in my life and quite frankly it is a privilege to know them.
“Six months have gone and now winter is coming. The news and media coverage of what is going on in Ukraine, and people’s awareness of Ukraine is dwindling, but the devastation is not.I just really felt that I had to do something to draw attention to the situation and the suffering in Ukraine, and the urgent need for people to still get behind Ukraine and support it.
“There was a chance to drive an ambulance out to Ukraine – I had never driven an ambulance, nor had I driven in Europe, I’ve never really cycled in Europe, but when the opportunity came up I felt it was the least I could do.”
The original plan of going all the way into Lviv was abandoned and she drove the ambulance to just outside the city. She explained that she was in the outskirts of Lviv. She said: “Two days before I left, Lviv was bombed. It is an area which is relatively safe and is home to many of the friends I have made in Ukraine. It was particularly poignant because two days before I went there was a bombing. Air raid sirens were going off while I was there and then two days after I left it was bombed again. I think if there was anything which motivated me to continue it was that.”
Explaining the background and the logistics of getting all the equipment together Andrea said: “I am part of a steering group which sends aid to Ukraine, particularly for women and babies. That organisation is Baby Lifeline which works in collaboration with the incredible people here at the Association of Ukrainians in Great Britain. We also work with Breaking the Chains, an organisation who are out on the ground delivering our aid. But a huge part of this is about raising funds.”
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Andrea’s mum,Alison Fraser, said: “She has always had such an empathetic manner all her life. Ever since childhood she has always worried about everybody else, people who had less or who were in war torn countries, or were refugees. She has always been doing her bit for them. In Edinburgh she put out Christmas cards for the elderly and people in care homes. She has collected presents for children going round collecting donations and wrapping them. Our Christmases have always been spent wrapping and doing things for her charity work.
“It is a surprise that she has cycled – she is not a cyclist. But knowing Andrea she would put her heart and soul into helping people. She always has been. She is a really wonderful girl – our star for the Ukrainian people.”
Ahead of the trip Judy Ledger, Founder and CEO of Baby Lifeline, said: “Andrea Fraser is a truly remarkable woman, not only because she’s bravely travelling to Ukraine on her own – and then putting herself through one of the most challenging fundraising activities we, in our 40 years as a charity, have ever seen – but also because of her unrelenting dedication to helping women and babies in Ukraine.
“Since the inception of Baby Lifeline’s Ukraine Appeal, she has been at the forefront of our steering group, which has supported mothers, babies and medical professionals in Bucha, Chernihiv, Sumy, Irpin, Kharkiv, Kyiv and Vorzel, with the provision of more than £500,000 worth of equipment.
“Thousands of babies continue to be born in the most horrific circumstances, and we have to continue to do what we can to support them. Andrea, you are an inspiration. Thank you for everything.”
Click here to find out more and to donate to Baby Lifeline’s Ukraine Appeal.
https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/ukrainetoscotland
Founding Editor of The Edinburgh Reporter.
Edinburgh-born multimedia journalist and iPhoneographer.
