A City church rector who opened his home to a Ukrainian refugee family is preparing to return to Ukraine this summer with ambulances, vehicles and medical supplies.
The Revd Paul Kennedy, Rector of St Vedast-alias-Foster, first became involved in supporting Ukraine shortly after Russia’s full-scale invasion, when he and his wife welcomed a mother and son from Kyiv through the Homes for Ukraine scheme. What began as an act of hospitality soon became a personal commitment to supporting people affected by the war.
“Once you’ve been there, it is a war that’s been brought into our house,” he said.
From hospitality to action
Living alongside a Ukrainian family transformed his understanding of the conflict. During a sabbatical in 2024, Fr Paul decided to travel to Ukraine himself, raising funds to take aid and a vehicle to communities affected by the war.
The response exceeded expectations. What started as a plan to deliver a single SUV became a convoy of two ambulances and an SUV. A year later, a second trip took four ambulances and two SUVs. This July, he hopes to repeat the journey, delivering four more ambulances along with vital supplies.
Delivering aid where it is needed most
For Fr Paul, one of the most powerful moments comes when handing over vehicles to those who will use them.
“They literally put their lives on the line,” he said. “They’re so grateful to receive them, and I’m thinking, I’m just doing such a small part in this, because what these people do is incredible.”
Some ambulances are used by hospitals, while others are modified for service closer to the front line. Reinforced vehicles help evacuate wounded civilians and soldiers from dangerous areas, often making multiple journeys each day.
Witnessing suffering and resilience
Although he is proud of the practical support being delivered, it is the people he has met that remain most vividly in his memory.
A visit to Bucha, where hundreds of civilians were killed during the early stages of the war, was particularly moving. Standing in a place marked by such suffering left a lasting impression. Fr Paul said that while the bodies are no longer there, the memory of what happened remains impossible to ignore.
He has also spent time with clergy and church communities across Ukraine, including members of the Greek Catholic Church. Their faithfulness and resilience have influenced his own spiritual life.
“My faith is now more influenced by the Eastern traditions of Orthodoxy and the Greek Catholic tradition,” he said.
The experience has deepened his conviction that Christian faith must be expressed through practical action as well as prayer.
“This is the way I live out faith,” he said.
Prayer, hope and continued support
While international attention has shifted elsewhere, Fr Paul believes Christians should continue to remember Ukraine and those whose lives have been shaped by the conflict.
“There are casualties every day,” he said. “Just because it’s not in the news every day, it hasn’t gone away.”
Yet alongside the suffering, Fr Paul has encountered hope. More than four years after the full-scale invasion, Ukraine continues to endure despite early predictions that the country would quickly fall.
When Russian forces invaded in 2022, some soldiers reportedly carried dress uniforms, expecting to take part in victory celebrations in Kyiv within days. Instead, Ukraine continues to resist.
Fr Paul Kennedy pictured at St Mary Aldermary Church
Looking ahead, Fr Paul believes some of the greatest challenges may come after the fighting ends. Families separated by war will need to rebuild their lives together, while communities and churches will help support those returning from military service or from years spent as refugees abroad.
“There is real hope,” he said.
As churches prepare to mark another year of conflict, Fr Paul is asking people across the Diocese of London to pray for peace, for families separated by war, and for those carrying physical, emotional and spiritual scars.
Ahead of the July convoy, he is also seeking financial support to help purchase, prepare and transport vehicles and supplies. People who would like to support the July convoy can donate through JustGiving.
“Our God is a God of peace,” he said. “Pray for those who have been badly damaged physically, mentally and spiritually by this war.”
