Charity completes major aid project supporting Ukraine inspired by six-year-old Milton Keynes girl

A newly formed charity in Milton Keynes has delivered 16 tonnes of aid from Luton Airport to Sofia.

The plane full of goods included toys and vital aid supplies.

As one of the biggest organised deliveries of support to people fleeing war-torn Ukraine, participants were greeted by children and Bulgarian Government delegates.

Such was the scale of the project, members of the newly formed, Hands Across the Skies, charity, were met by Deputy Prime Minister in charge of economic policies and Minister of Transport and Communications Hristo Aleksiev.

Among the people on Monday’s flight was Madison Baker, a six-year-old from Milton Keynes.

Madison asked how she could help Ukrainians, such was her shock on discovering that war had broke out in the country, when watching the news with her father.

Together, they came up with the not-for-profit project, using father Mark Baker’s contacts in the UK aviation industry to organise a flight.

While Madison networked with like-minded youngster spreading a message of peace.

After months of hard work, their labour of love came to fruition on Monday (15 August).

Madison also met with Dr. Hristo Grigorov the president of the Bulgarian Red Cross.

Mark told the MK Citizen: "This is a dream come true.”

After he witnessed his daughter being introduced to Ukrainian Refugees.

Other representatives from major international charities showed their support for the project in the Bulgarian capital, they were representing UNICEF, and UNHCR, the (UN Refugee Agency).

Mark added in conversation with the BBC: “It’s been monumental. It’s been surreal. It’s been a moment that I will never ever forget.

"I think there is only one thing that will eclipse this and that was the birth of my daughter.

"This is something that I hope is life-changing, not only for me, but in a small way could be life changing for others and those that we want to help worldwide.

"This is just the start. It was about bringing a lot of people together in one place in one time.

"We’ve sent a message now that Hands Across the Sky is airborne.”