Steve Allen works in our UK Sales team as a Partner Alliances Director at Columbus UK. Here in Steve's account, you will see how his dedication and efforts not only made a significant impact on our company's mission, but also underscored the importance of our collective commitment to global causes.

Steve embarked on a remarkable journey from London, delivering crucial medical supplies to a Hospital Supplies Depot and escorting two families to safety in Berlin.  

"Columbus were a great support, they gave me full pay to cover me during my trip - they are always open to any ideas you have to help good causes"

"I had watched the terrible scenes unfold in Ukraine over the past 17 days or so and felt sick to my stomach. My Grandfather fought with Montgomery in WW2 at El-Alamein before heading to Anzio in Italy. I’ve researched these battles and my Grandfathers efforts having retrieved all his war records from the MoD. He was captured and interned as a POW in Oflag 7b in Eischtatt Germany for 3 years until 1945... He is still my hero even though he died in 1966 at the age of 54. If I could be just a fraction of the person he was, I would be a proud man..."

"My colleague Jess and I attended a manufacturing event at the House of Lords, coincidentally the day before I left for Dover. It was hosted by The Manufacturer and the main speaker was Lord Bilimoria, founder and owner of Cobra Beers. I’m not ashamed to admit that I ran across the floor as soon as he’d finished his speech and ambushed him as I’d heard that there were issues with drivers having problems getting through customs and border control with donations and hoped he could pull a few strings. He was straight on the phone and asked his Chief of Staff to follow up with me. I’m not sure that it did help but it didn’t do any harm either...

I tried to hire a truck or borrow one but nobody would help me enter a war zone so I decided just to take my own car, fill it with medical supplies, field dressings, batteries, torches and phone chargers from a collection point in my home town near London as this would also allow me to transport back more people safely rather than come back with an empty vehicle."

"After making necessary travel arrangements and obtaining approval for leave from our CEO & President, Søren, I embarked on my journey. Beginning on the 11th of March, I drove to Ghent in Belgium and stayed there overnight. The subsequent days led me to Lagow Manor in Poland before reaching the border with Ukraine at Medyka. Despite my intention to enter Ukraine, an unfortunate incident at a military base nearby deterred me from proceeding. The situation at the border was tense and sorrowful, with the affected individuals appearing distraught and fearful. The conditions were challenging, compounded by the cold weather and overwhelming odors in the camps and volunteer centres. The experience was deeply emotional, highlighting the gravity of the situation for those affected."

"In the end I did as my thoughts were, I’d rather they know and would deal with it accordingly. As they did not speak any language other than Ukraine and I did not speak their language, we used Google Translate to speak to each other. This worked very well. I still communicate with them now over WhatsApp and using Google Translate.

I booked a hotel in Legnica Poland a few hours drive away in order that they could have a shower, get some decent food a glass or two of wine. I let them sleep in and we left at 10:00. We arrived in Berlin later that day and I made sure that they were safe, in the right hands and had somewhere to stay. They stayed in a hostel for the first two nights and on Thursday 17th March, are going to live with a woman elsewhere in Germany. They had no money and their possessions were limited to two bags. I gave then 500 Euros to at least give them some sort of start and perhaps buy a few personal items."

"They wanted to stay in Ukraine, but their apartment took four direct hits from missiles, so they fled. They are now safe and being well looked after by their German hosts, but their husbands stayed to fight. I’m just an ordinary business person living in the UK I’m still trying to get my head around this conflict in Europe, the senseless violence and horror inflicted on the Ukrainian people, the fear in their faces was palpable. My head is still there, and I can’t adequately describe in words what I saw, experienced and smelt whilst there. Their pain and suffering was piercing and will stay with me forever. If you can do anything for these people and other people in conflicts around the world, no matter how small, please do..."  Donate to UNICEF