Warm Up

Have you discovered the joy of wearing a merino wool thermal base layer? As a keen mountain walker, I was introduced to this item of clothing many years ago and have praised it every time I have worn it. Not only is it able to keep me warm on a cold day when exposed to cold winds, but it has an almost magical ability to wick away any moisture from the skin so that I stay dry as well as warm.

Now imagine what it must be like for the men and women who are on the front lines in Ukraine. There are many videos on YouTube that tell this story. It’s cold and exposed and unlike my walks in the mountains, these people aren’t coming home in the evening to a warm bath and a cosy fire.

Vadym, our man on the ground, has met with an Army Chaplin in Ukraine and has discussed the needs of the people he serves. About half are professional soldiers, and the other half are either volunteers or conscripts. Providing all the equipment for all these people is beyond the scope of what the government can do. So, they look for help from the communities their people come from.

We have launched a pilot project to supply 30 merino wool thermal base layers to our Chaplin contact and he will send them to the people he cares for on the front line.

Where did we get them from? My business colleague Arran has been researching sources of Marino fabric and vests. Of his many contacts, one was a company in Scotland who supplies the exact military grade product we were after. They have supplied them to us at 1/3 of the market price for this cause.

We have included a small booklet along with each vest which we hope will bring spiritual comfort as well.