Soldiers Help Send Medical Equipment To Eastern Europe

Personnel from 6 Regiment Royal Logistic Corpshave helped dispatch a garage full of ex-NHS zimmer frames and other medical equipment from their base in Dishforth, Yorkshire to Moldova.

The charity PhysioNet began sending physiotherapy and mobility equipment around the world more than a decade ago.

Speaking to Forces News, the charity’s founder, Peter Thompson, said:

"It started off in 2005 when we took the first vanload of paediatric physiotherapy equipment for disabled children to an orphanage in Sarajevo.

"[We] then realised that there was an awful lot of this sort of equipment that was being discarded in the UK, for various reasons, that were terribly expensive and could be very much used in the developing countries.

"That then grew to including wheelchairs, perching stools, commodes, shower chairs – a whole range of equipment."

Demand for the equipment soared and PhysioNet soon ran out of space to store the kit; drawing on his Fijian connections, Thompson was put in touch with the Army in Catterick:

"I have a long history in Fiji and through Fijians in the military, first of all at Catterick, we got a temporary store at Catterick.

"Then again through Captain Roberts and the Fijians here we got the use of this very useful store."

For Captain Roberts, the decision to help the charity out was an easy one: "Having come from Germany to the UK in 2016, one of the initiatives we embarked on relatively quickly was engaging with the local community as much as we possibly can and also local charities.

"PhysioNet approached us about a year in and asked us if we could support [them].

"It felt like a natural thing for us to do in order to break those barriers down and engage with the community on all levels."

Lance Corporal Akuila Tuimereke, who is originally from Fiji, helping the charity had a special resonance:

"I know a part of this charity goes back home to Fiji and I know it will be useful to the unfortunate ones back home.

"That’s why I give up my time and my effort as well to give them a hand for a greater purpose."

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