By Dr David Cliff, Managing Director, Gedanken Ltd.
As we move into winter, many of us brace for a difficult festive season. For the people of Ukraine, however, winter is not a challenge – it is another chapter of fear, loss, and endurance in a war now stretching into its third year.
The world, overwhelmed by its own turbulence, risks letting this conflict slip quietly from the collective conscience.
Europe has not witnessed a land war of this scale for generations. What once shocked us has become a chronic crisis – too slow for breaking news, too painful for sustained attention. Yet Ukraine does not have the luxury of our psychological drift.
“Chronic” crises are easy to ignore. That is why we must consciously choose not to allow our awareness of them to fade or be distracted.
A war fought under constraint
Ukraine is not only resisting an unmistakable aggressor; it is resisting under constraint. Decades of peace left Europe dependent on open markets and supply chains now vulnerable to manipulation by the very regime attacking Ukraine.
The result is an uncomfortable reality: Ukraine is fighting for values we claim to share while being expected to do so with limited tools. Weapons arrive with conditions lest they prompt escalation. Political sensitivities and supply line dependencies tie hands. The aggressor faces no such restraint.
No responsible nation would ask its own people to defend themselves under these terms.
And when confronting a bully, terms matter. A bully – whether in a playground, a company, or a nation – stops only when they meet resistance. Left unchallenged, they advance.
North East Support: Past, present, and needed again
North East businesses have already stepped up earlier in this conflict. Many contributed generously to humanitarian efforts, refugee support, and community campaigns. I honour that deeply.
But time has passed. Attention has faded. The situation in Ukraine has deepened, not eased. Now is the moment to refocus, not retreat.
Starting with one ambulance – and aiming higher
An exceptional organisation, Help4Ukraine, has already delivered nearly 60 ambulances and medical vehicles to Ukraine. These vehicles save lives- soldiers and civilians – Ukrainian and Russian – without discrimination. Their directors take no salary; every penny goes where it should.
Because they cross into Ukraine Help4Ukraine is a not-for-profit organisation, backed by Ukraine Charity (a UK registered charity)
It costs between £7,500 and £8,500 to deliver an ambulance to Ukraine – fully prepared, serviced, equipped, and packed with vital medical supplies. For the cost of a modest business overhead, one vehicle can change hundreds of lives.
Each ambulance attends over 250 life-threatening emergencies every month. They operate as mobile surgical centres, stabilising the wounded, supporting traumatised communities, and ensuring that Ukraine’s civilian population – as well as its defenders – have a fighting chance of survival. The value delivered per vehicle is extraordinary.
This article signals the launch of a North East campaign to send more ambulances to Ukraine. We are starting with one. But the ambition is greater. I will personally deliver the first ambulance with Help4Ukraine, and I hope others in the business community will join me – whether by funding additional vehicles, supporting logistics, or even travelling with us as part of the delivery convoy.
A Donorbox page has been created especially for this initiative:
donorbox.org/gedanken
The Ceasefire Illusion – and the reality behind it
Talk that Donald Trump’s influence might accelerate a ceasefire offered hope that has already dimmed. Instead of de-escalation, Putin’s forces have intensified their aggression – a deliberate tactical push at a moment when peace is raised and the world appears distracted by its possiblilty. Politicians really do need take heed. History has rarely seen peace by signaling uncertainty. A ceasefire shaped by external pressures and economic interests rather than justice, and enforcing boundaries risks emboldening the aggressor, not restraining them.
And even if a ceasefire eventually comes, the humanitarian need remains immense. A political signature does not rebuild homes, treat trauma, or carry the injured. Ambulances will still be needed – perhaps even more so – in a Ukraine facing years of medical, psychological, and infrastructural recovery.
A region that leads when it matters
We have endured some of the harshest trading winds in years. Policy decisions have too often overlooked the pressures on business. Yet one constant has always defined the North East:
When something matters, we step forward. Not because we have to – but because we choose to. That spirit is already showing. Woodland Flooring, with deep personal ties to Ukraine, have stepped up. Westray Recruitment, through Maureen and Ashleigh Wright, offered support in a heartbeat, as have many others. I am grateful to Northern Insight for giving this campaign prominence at a time when many national platforms have turned their gaze elsewhere.
In closing
This is not my usual reflective column on leadership, psychology, or organisational life. Today, I am simply asking for something more direct: Help us send ambulances. Help us save lives. Help keep Ukraine in our hearts and in our actions.
Please contribute to or perhaps sponsor a vehicle. Share the campaign. Encourage your networks.
Let us send a message, from the North East to Ukraine: “You are not forgotten.”
Join me. Stand with Ukraine. Let’s save lives – one ambulance at a time.
www.gedanken.co.uk