A Victoria sponge cake sale at auction has generated almost £2,000 to support a 15-vehicle convoy bound for Ukraine’s front lines.

Held at Thame Farmers Mart, the fundraising event was designed to fund medical supply deliveries and the evacuation of wounded soldiers.

Market shareholder Peter Dunn is one of the volunteers who will drive the convoy, and this will be his second journey to the war-affected nation.

Departing for Lviv, approximately 1,300 miles from his Milton Keynes farm, on April 11, Mr Dunn thanked the enthusiastic bidders who competed for the cake made by Charlotte Baxter, the office and accounts manager at Thame Mart.

The money, reaching a total of £1,862 when combined with additional donations, will go towards vehicle logistics, spare parts and medical kits.

This represents the 59th convoy dispatched to Ukraine, with the 4×4 vehicles delivered straight to military workshops in Lviv.

Auctioneer Simon Draper was instrumental in coordinating the lively auction where the cake humorously changed ownership three or four times.

According to Mr Dunn, the organization purchases the vehicles and the 15 vehicles in this convoy will bring the total number of 4x4s sent to Ukraine from this area as part of Driving Ukraine to over 100. He explained that they equip the vehicles with workshop equipment and for this trip they are also allocating the funds raised towards four medical ruck sacks and two large critical incident medical kits for the front line.

The three-day journey to Lviv will take the convoy through France, Belgium, Holland, Germany, and Poland via the Channel Tunnel.

With 183,000 miles already covered, Mr Dunn’s reliable Land Rover Discovery is prepared for the journey.

For the return journey home, Mr Dunn and his companions will use taxis to reach the Polish border and then fly from Krakow to Luton.

Driving Ukraine, working alongside Olney Ukraine, is arranging the expedition.

Mr Dunn thanked everyone for their generous support and contributions to the venture, which even includes a special aid box from Towcester Vets containing both animal and human medical supplies.

The generosity from Thame Farmers Mart does not stop with the cake auction.

The market is already preparing for another auction to support Driving Ukraine’s worthy cause.

This time, a worming treatment pack supplied by Barkers Animal Health will be auctioned.

Supporters have committed £1 per mile, as the market seeks to raise sufficient funds to buy a recovery truck for retrieving and repairing vehicles damaged at the front line.

Thame Farmers Mart holds regular livestock sales on Wednesdays (prime sheep and cull ewes and rams) and Fridays (store cattle and sheep).

Further details are available at www.thamemarket.co.uk.

Those wishing to contribute or become sponsors can contact 07738 005133 for more information.