Rescue Reveries, Volume 38

At this festive time, it’s very easy to forget the real reason we celebrate, amongst the all-consuming retail messages of what we need, what we must have, and what we must buy. Christmas has traditionally been about family, connecting, love, kindness, and giving. With this in mind, we bring you a different Romantic Reveries this month. Our co-founder Ben, Georgia’s husband, recently made a life-changing trip to Ukraine to deliver emergency aid vehicles, essential winter clothing, and medicine for a children’s orphanage.

It’s a thought-provoking and inspiring read that might trigger a tear. If you have been inspired to make a similar journey and would like to speak to Ben directly you can contact him here and he will get in touch.

So, welcome to this week’s special edition of ‘Rescue Reveries’.  We wanted to share some experiences from what seems like a different world, which in reality is just a short hop from our own.

For several years now, French Bedroom worked with a team of Ukrainian web developers, so the war there has felt especially close to us. They are real people, living with a frightening reality, uncertain of the futures that we can take for granted.

I came across a charity called Pick-ups For Peace (P4P), started by a group of British farmers whose old pick-up trucks could have a second life on the front lines in Ukraine.  There, they can operate as field ambulances, picking up injured soldiers from the front and quickly bringing them back for urgent medical attention. P4P routinely organise convoys of vehicles, loaded with humanitarian aid to support the civilian population, so I decided to raise funds and join them on a recent mission.

With the generous contributions from about 100 sponsors, we bought a pick-up, fixed it up, and loaded every nook and cranny with humanitarian supplies – mostly winter clothing to help people through the cold months ahead, and Calpol which was destined for an orphanage in Odesa, where they lack even the most basic supplies for the rapidly growing number of orphans.

After driving for three days through France, Germany, Czechia, and Poland, we reached the beautiful city of Lviv in western Ukraine.

The gratitude of the locals was profound. We were really touched by the emotion they showed seeing people from the outside world who had not forgotten them. The supplies we brought went directly to people who really need them. Our vehicle was received by the military, who conservatively estimate that each pick-up saves at least 10 lives, the Calpol went onto an orphanage, and the winter clothing to people who often lack heating, as Russian strikes often target the Ukrainian energy grid. It is rare that the effects of charity have felt as real as this. To meet the people and see their gratitude – I could not help but be touched by what this meant to them.

We visited the Field of Mars in Lviv, the military cemetery. Each grave was decorated with photos of the young men and women, recently killed on the frontline. Some, who were alive only a week ago, now laid to rest, their bright futures abruptly cut short. Fresh graves had been dug to be filled that very day with the latest casualties from the front. This was the most moving part of our trip. You could sense the war everywhere, but here you could see the faces and names of young people whose lives had been cut short, when they could otherwise have built the future for Ukraine.

It's easy to feel powerless when you're looking at something as big as a war between two huge nations. But ultimately, we are all individuals, capable of helping other individuals. If we all play just a small part, those collective efforts build up to make a real difference. 

At times like this, we must recognise the luck and good fortune we have to live in safety, while others lay down their lives in defence of the rest of us, in Europe. We may feel powerless to stop the war, but we can directly help those who are affected by it – those who are orphaned, made homeless, are severely injured, hungry or without heat this winter.

Participating in this effort is something that will always stay with me.  I was honoured that French Bedroom directly supported this, financially, and supporting me to take time out to give to people who are in desperate need.

Whatever happens in the war ahead, it will take many generations for Ukraine to recover, and they will need every support to get back on their feet. If you are interested in participating in something like this, it is an experience you will never forget. Please do contact me using this form, or contact Pick-ups For Peace directly.  The charity is always in need of fundraisers and drivers to help with missions in 2025.

Thank you to everyone who supported me. This Christmas, more than ever, we will be thinking about those who are less fortunate than us.

Contact: https://www.pickupsforpeace.co.uk/
Follow: https://bsky.app/profile/pickupsforpeace.bsky.social
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Sunday Discoveries

Brunch With Lisa

For our November ‘Brunch With’ we sat down with the fabulous, funny and caring: Lisa King, OBE. Get to know Lisa, chief executive of Dreams Come True, a charity which brings magic to children living in poverty and who have disabilities, serious illnesses and life-limiting conditions.

Why do you do what you do for a living?

I’ve worked in the charity sector for over 20 years. For 18 years addressing social injustice through the lens of violence against women; today my focus on social injustice continues but through the lens of children who experience poverty. A critical area of Dreams Come True’s work.

I also have a gorgeous boy called Tom who is 16 who has autism and global development delay. My Tom has moderate needs – the children we support at the charity have high needs. Life with Tom is amazing.  We champion his differences and build a world that’s right for him and gives him opportunities; but that said, it’s not always easy and aspects about his life have been and remain a worry.  I am lucky to have great support and access to resources and I cannot imagine how hard it must be for families with children with great needs and with financial challenge. 

The combination of my passion for addressing social injustice and my love for Tom and children with high needs is what lights my fire and passion for Dreams Come True and makes me work super hard to do all I can to reach the children our charity serves. It is an honour to be able to do so – and a privilege as the difference my team and I make is palpable.

Describe Your Perfect Sunday...

It’s round about now – November when it’s cold, crisp and bright. Waking up on a Sunday with the family, having a leisurely breakfast and coffee (I love coffee - a lot!) whilst watching Laura Kuenssberg. Then heading down to the beach near Hove with the family – taking a stroll and seeing the sun glistening on the sea, being all wrapped up and toasty watching our rescue dog Zorro tear over the pebbles chasing the seagulls. Then heading home to have a roast – my husband does all the cooking, I’m in charge of the tunes! Eating as a family and sharing stories and updates. Getting my jim jams on nice an early and heading to the sofa for a film – less so with the children these days as their 18- and 16-year-old tastes no longer match mine! Feeling and seeing the glow of the wood burner and tucking in early. That is my perfect day.

What’s your favourite room in your house?

I love the kitchen and our breakfast bar. Not because I cook, far from it – I’m in charge of playing the music, life planning and sometimes a bit of crafting at the breakfast bar. It’s definitely the epicentre of our home life. I often work at the breakfast bar (very bad for me I know…) which means I’m near the coffee machine – and that I keep an eye on the snack cupboard and the merry-go-round of family members trying to get in it!  I love it there – perched on a stool living life and seeing life come and go in that space. It’s Zorro’s and my domain!

Who is the most inspiring woman you know?

My best friend – also called Lisa! We met in our early careers and only worked together for 6 weeks. But when you know you’ve met your BFF you know!  And we’ve been the best of friends these last 25 years.  She is my rock; and I her. She is super fun and super smart. Wise, sage, gorgeous, kind and loving. What I admire most is her ability to self-learn and reinvent herself – in all ways, professional and personal. She is training to be a master coach and very nearly there (just needs to sit the exams now…. come on Lisa!!!). I couldn’t admire, nor love her more – she is a total inspiration to me and I’m proud to call her my best friend.

What is your most treasured bit of furniture?

I guess it has to be my breakfast bar for the reasons cited above.  But I also have a shabby chic chest of draws I love – it’s travelled with me from home to home these last many years. I bought it moons back at an antique shop in Henfield near home.  It wasn’t expensive at all – I just love its look and feel and the memories of the family life that has been lived around the chest of draws which has always been homed in a lounge area or family space. I need to spend some time fixing the handles – and giving this interview has given me the impetus to do so! 

French Bedroom donated a prize to the annual Dreams Come True Ball this November, Lisa and her amazing team raised a huge, record breaking £125,000 for the charity in just one evening – big results for a small team of 12. We look forward to continuing to support Dreams Come True in 2025. See how you can support Dreams Come True here.