Ingatestone postmen to make special delivery of aid to Kosov

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TWO long-serving Ingatestone posties are planning to make a special delivery 1,500 miles across Europe to help transform the lives of hundreds of poverty-stricken children.

Dennis Sweeting and Steve Biggs admit that visiting the slums of Kosovo could reduce them to tears, but they are desperate to he lp a nation where, on average, people are scraping by on just 60p a day.

For two enthralling weeks in October they will be swapping the cosy topiary-lined front gardens of middle England to drive a 7.5 tonne truck across seven countries to deliver desperately needed food and clothing to impoverished Kosovans.

Part of former Yugoslavia, thousands of people were killed when the country was torn apart by war in 1999.

Today it is reckoned almost half of the population are living in poverty and 13 per cent are in dire conditions.

Blankets, shoes, winter coats, tinned meals and a few toiletries have been dropped off at Ingatestone Post Office, in the High Street, the agreed collection point, but the duo who set off on October 12 are pleading for more.

Dennis, 41, who lives in Ingatestone High Street said: "We are lucky to live in Great Britain where everything is at our fingertips. To see that another country barely survives and to know that you have got two ordinary postmen who could make a difference is great.

"I have heard stories about people coming back and their lives are never the same again from there."

Father of four Steve, 45, from Billericay added: "We are going to be a bit like Father Christmas.

"There could be 50 or 100 people rushing towards us all wanting a bit of what we have, it could get out of control so we will have to take charge straight away.

"But I am so looking forward to giving something to kids who do not expect anything from anyone, their expectations are completely different to the kids in England."

It is with some trepidation that the pair – who will be sleeping in the back of their van for the last leg of their journey – venture through the deprivation and desperation.

The determined duo will be part of a convoy of eight lorries from across the UK making the journey, which has been organised by Ingatestone-based charity Hope and Aid Direct.

Dennis' next door neighbour Charles Storer is the organisation's co-founder.

He was nominated for the MBE in the Queen's Birthday Honours List in June following his aid work in the Balkans region which began in 1999.

He is was delighted Dennis and Steve got onboard.

Charles, 60, added: "I have been talking to Dennis, or bending his ear, for a little while and they are both very much on board and they will be a great asset to the team.

"I know they will make a real difference but what they don't know is that I have seen more grown men cry over there in the past 17 years than you can possibly imagine."