Author: Alison Hammerton

Chief Award in Sierra Leone

 

Rev Bernard Cocker, our Founder & CEO has been presented with a Chieftaincy Certificate recognising him as a Paramount Chief by the traditional authorities of Lokomasama Chiefdom in Port Loko District, Sierra Leone, West Africa.

The recognition acknowledges 18 years of Christian ministry and humanitarian service among communities in the region, it was granted on 31 January 2026 by the chiefdom’s traditional leadership in appreciation of the long-term impact of the charity’s work among local communities.

The official certificate states that the honour was given: “In view of the outstanding Christian and humanitarian work of International Aid Trust in Sierra Leone and in our communities.”

You can read more about the award here: Press release Lokomasama Chieftancy

Ukraine Four Years On – Faith, Hope and Courage

Our latest email newsletter is out now!

You can read it here: https://bit.ly/4l0jq5Y

There’s a reflection on faith, hope and courage in Ukraine, four years on from the start of the war and prayers for the people of Ukraine, from our Founder and CEO, Rev. Bernard Cocker.

As well as lots of news and items to pray for from our teams around the world.

 

 

Walk, Pray, Give for Ukraine

Walk, Pray, Give is back! Join us throughout May to walk (or run, cycle or wheel etc.) the distance from our warehouse in Tarleton to Donetsk, Ukraine, raising funds for another emergency vehicle, and to pray for all those affected by the war.

How does Walk, Pray, Give work?

Walk – we aim to walk a collective total of 2,220 miles between everyone joining in, throughout the month of May.

We have two organised walks that you can join in with, both of about 5 miles.

Saturday 10^th May, Tarleton, 10am

Meet at our warehouse: International Aid Trust, Briery Lane, Off Blackgate Lane, Tarleton, Preston, PR4 6UU, just before 10am for a low level walk including country lanes and the River Douglas.

Light refreshments available before and after the walk.

Saturday 17^th May, Edgworth, 10am

Meet at the Barlow Institute car park, Bolton Road, Edgworth, Bolton, BL7 0AP, just before 10am, for a countryside and woodland ramble.

There is a café on site for refreshments.

You can also walk wherever you like, or run, cycle, wheel, swim etc. by yourself or with friends, from Thursday 1^st May up to Saturday 2^nd March and send the amount of miles you’ve walked each week by email to julie@internationalaidtrust.org.uk or post in the event on Facebook.

Here is a poster for the event that you can download and print or share: https://bit.ly/43VbbBH

Walk Pray Give 25 poster

Pray – download prayer cards to pray at home, with your group or church or whilst walking, for all those affected by the war.

There will also be an opportunity to pray together after both of the group walks if you choose to. You can download prayer cards here: https://bit.ly/3G6ca8b

Give – donate £1 per mile you walk, get sponsored or sponsor those walking, to help us to fund the purchase of a 4×4 pickup and its transport to Ukraine.

Our target is to raise the £4,500, to purchase a suitable vehicle and transport it to where it is needed in Ukraine.

Donations can be paid into our bank account: Royal Bank of Scotland, Our Sort Code: 16 28 16, Our Account Number: 10075885,  or through the donations page of our website.

 You can download a sponsorship form here: https://bit.ly/4ig3BVO

If you would like to collect practical aid for our Ukraine Appeal, here is the list of items that are priorities to send: https://bit.ly/3OlDsbZ

The warehouse is always open Monday – Friday 9am – 4pm for donations and Saturday 9am – 12noon for drop off of donations

 

Emergency Vehicles to Ukraine

Our next batch of emergency vehicles comprising of four fully functioning ambulances and two 4×4 pickups, will be setting off for Ukraine from Bolton Town Hall at 2.00pm on Sunday 9^th March.

A team of military veterans including The Mayor of Bolton, the Mayor of Westhoughton and the Mayor of Blackrod, and friends from the Royal British Legion will be driving, along with Igor Reshetov our Logistics and Distribution Manager and Trustee Jon Field.

Please join us at the Town Hall at 2.00pm on Sunday 9^th March to hear an update on the difference these lifesaving vehicles make, from our CEO & Founder, Rev. Bernard Cocker, to pray for the journey and for those the ambulances will help and to wave them off!

There will also be opportunities to donate towards our ‘Ambulances and Support Vehicles for Ukraine’ fund and to donate practical aid to be sent to Ukraine at one of our International Aid Trust vans. Here is a link to the list of practical aid we will be collecting:

 

 

 

 

Donations towards our ‘Ambulances and Support Vehicles for Ukraine’ fund can be made here:

 

 

 

 

Thank you very much for your support!

 

Click on the link below to find out what’s happening in Sierra Leone!

Sierra Leone Spring 24 News and Prayer

 

 

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-south-yorkshire-68626505

Fur coats which were to be destroyed have instead been sent to war-torn Ukraine to help people survive winter.

 

 

Rev. Bernard Cocker, our CEO & Founder, has just returned from visiting our team in Ukraine, where he received a prestigious award from Ukrainian military leaders, on behalf of all the charity’s supporters.

You can read more about the award here : International Aid Trust Press Release Ukraine Award

Or view the presentation of the medal and a message of thanks here: Award from Military Leaders in Ukraine – YouTube

This award has also been covered by BBC North West, you can read about here: Chorley charity gets award from Ukraine military leaders – BBC News or view on BBC i-Player.

 

 

Rev. Bernard Cocker and Pastors Pasha and Ruslan send their thanks to supporters as they distribute shoebox gifts and share God’s love with internally displaced people staying in Kobleve

Pastor Andrei and team share how the aid sent from the UK is helping them to support people practically and spiritually; ‘It is only when we meet in heaven that you will see what a treasure you have been to us.”