THE Callington-based Cornwall & Devon Sending Love to Ukraine team has been on the road again but this time to a different destination.

Following historic floods that swept though the Valencia region of Spain recently the team put in an urgent call to the Lions Club in Valencia to see what help they needed.

The heavy rains caused floods that destroyed bridges and covered towns with mud, cutting off communities and leaving them without water, food or electricity.

The two-man team, here with a member of Lions Club of Valencia, delivered much needed equipment for the clean up operation, seen here outside the affected areas. (Picture: Darren Tait)
The two-man team, here with a member of Lions Club of Valencia, delivered much needed equipment for the clean up operation, seen here outside the affected areas. (Picture: Darren Tait) ( )

The flash floods left the streets filled with debris and mud, and teams of volunteers went out to clear the aftermath of the torrential rain which hit the region.

Armed with a shopping list from Spain, the team set to work finding the vital supplies they needed - mainly buckets, shovels and yard brushes.

It was a family affair though that set off to Spain with Darren Tait travelling with his youngest daughter. The duo were under strict time constraints and took just one van to Valencia with Darren driving alongside daughter Charlotte, who is the youngest volunteer with Lions Club of Callington.

They travelled three hours into Spain where they were advised to come off the road and seek shelter as a heavy storm was imminent. They delivered into Valencia at 11am.

Volunteers from Lions Club of Valencia are helping clear the affected areas of mud and debris and need more equipment to help with the work. (Picture: Darren Tait)
Volunteers from Lions Club of Valencia are helping clear the affected areas of mud and debris and need more equipment to help with the work. (Picture: Darren Tait) ( )

As well as the shovels and buckets, their single van was filled with other vital supplies bought through funding including food, nappies, children’s and adult’s clothes, cots and some “Teddies to take away tears” - little crocheted teddy bears for children.

Driver and founder of Sending Love to Ukraine, Darren said: “We didn’t actually travel into the flood zone as I thought it would be inappropriate for us. We delivered into the middle of Valencia city to the Lions Club of Valencia who took the aid into the affected area.

“We managed to raise enough money to go out and buy 300 buckets 30 shovels and brooms. We also had mop buckets, mops and other cleaning equipment.”

The duo arrived back on Cornish soil on Thursday, November 7, after travelling the length of France enduring torrential rain and powerful thunder and lightning storms which cut the power.

The duo of father and daughter Darren and Charlotte Tait from Sending Love to Ukraine delivered equipment to Valencia to help in the clear up, to Lions Club of Valencia.

The Lions Club of Valencia are still looking for more shovels, brushes, buckets and even wheelbarrows, and Darren is planning to go again.

He said: “You can imagine it is a costly trip so funding would need to be obtained.

“The next convoy to Ukraine with aid leaves on November 16, so we are now frantically getting ready for that trip and on that trip the parish of Calstock will be signing the twinning documents with a town in Ukraine.

“We will then set off again round about December 16 for Trip 29 which will be our Christmas trip.”