East Devon MP Simon Jupp's weekly column.

It was an incredible privilege to hear Ukrainian President Zelenskyy speak in Parliament.

Last Friday marked the one-year anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The Ukrainian people’s strength and continued defiance of Putin is inspirational.

It is right that the UK and our allies both continue to sanction Russia and support the courageous people of Ukraine in repelling the invasion, including through the provision of military, economic and humanitarian aid.

I know some have reservations about the financial cost of the UK's aid package for Ukraine because of real pressures on the cost of living domestically. However, given that the conflict in Ukraine is one of the key factors driving global inflation right now, we shouldn't neglect to play our part in securing peace.

Since Putin’s invasion, over 300 Ukrainian refugees have arrived in towns and villages across the East Devon district through the government’s successful Homes for Ukraine scheme – a true reflection on the generosity and good will of residents in our area. The scheme allows people to sponsor Ukrainians to come to the UK and to offer them accommodation such as a spare room. I've been pleased to visit Ukrainian families in Ottery St Mary and Sidmouth to hear how they’ve settled in.

Local organisations are playing their part, too, so I was pleased to visit World Extreme Medicine based in Axminster. I caught up with Founder Mark Hannaford and clinician Jamile Siddiqui to hear about their programme called Medics4Ukraine.

World Extreme Medicine have delivered training to over 400 Ukrainian frontline medics and sent their first medical supplies convoy to Ukraine in April 2022. To date, almost £2 million of trauma medical supplies and training for medics on the frontline has been delivered. Transport costs are fully underwritten by World Extreme Medicine, but supplies – which include first aid kits, tourniquets, bandages and paramedic bags – need ongoing funding via donations.

Outside the Ukraine conflict, World Extreme Medicine’s usual work is in delivering courses in polar, desert, ocean, mountain, endurance, expedition, and wilderness medicine.

I'd like to thank them and their entire team.