Yorkshire company works around the clock to build life-saving armored ambulances for Ukraine Yorkshire News

Venari Group, which typically builds ambulances for this country, has converted its 120,000 square feet of shop space at Goole and Brighouse to build specialized military-grade vehicles.

The ambulances are being built on former British Army vehicles and now Venari’s highly skilled team, working 24 hours a day, all weekend, are dismantling, refurbishing, modernizing and transforming them into ambulances to speed up time. of production. Work began last Friday and the first ambulances are expected to be ready for delivery later this week.

Ukraine is currently losing ambulances at a faster rate of 10 a day as a result of the invasion, so Venari is building vehicles designed to transport larger numbers of casualties.

With off-road capability, they will allow greater maneuverability for both paramedics and patients and allow medical teams to treat people they might not otherwise be able to reach. Armored variants will provide ballistic protection against small arms fire on the front line to enable safer extractions.

Venari said the job came after the Ukrainian Embassy in London contacted the company’s chief executive, Oliver North, via Brigg and Goole MP Andrew Percy.

Mr North, a former royal engineer, said the ambulances are intended to be driven close to the Ukrainian border on trucks and he intends to drive one of them to help keep project costs down.

“When the war started, I felt completely helpless and with a level of guilt and was actually talking to former colleagues about whether we would get out. So getting into this is an opportunity to really play a part in helping.”

The exact number of ambulances they are doing is not revealed for security reasons.

“When we got the call, we jumped into action immediately,” Mr. North said. “As the oldest and largest ambulance builder in the UK, we really feel it is our duty to deliver on this project, with as much passion, precision and speed as we can.

“Andrew Percy has been an integral part of the project and wholeheartedly shares our sense of obligation to push the project forward for the inspiring people of Ukraine. Our team has been relentless and tireless in their efforts, knowing that the completion of each vehicle will help save lives. And since many of us are ex-military, we feel like we’re operating in a very familiar field.

“Although many of us spend little or no time at home right now, we are well aware that our sacrifices do not even come close to those made by the Ukrainian people, so we are truly honored to be able to do our part.”

Mr Percy said: “Oliver and the team at Venari have gone far beyond what I thought was possible.

“My role has been to connect all parties and work to secure funding for this project and that work continues as we want to send as many ambulances to Ukraine as possible. I am also very proud that the workers of Goole and our manufacturing base are once again helping to protect freedom and democracy just as we did in World War II when we helped build Mulberry Harbors for the liberation of Europe.

“I cannot praise Oliver and the people at Venari enough for their incredible efforts, working through the night to get this project off the ground. Their efforts have been amazing and everyone should be very proud of what they are doing to keep medical professionals and patients safe in Ukraine. Not even three weeks have passed since I was asked to help put this project together and we already have these ambulances in production. Once again, Goole has proven his worth!

“We have also been working with the UK government to support this project and we are all ready to do whatever we can.”

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