Client Corner - Jo Mosesson

Castlefield adviser, Michael Owens, recently caught up with client Jo Mosesson following her return from Ukraine, where she joined Pick Ups For Peace in delivering a vehicle and humanitarian aid. In this Client Corner interview, Jo reflects on the fundraising effort, the journey across Europe, and the resilience of the Ukrainian people she encountered along the way. 

Michael Owens (MO): I understand you're involved with the charity Pickups for Peace. Please can you tell us a bit more about what do they do and how you got involved? 

Jo Mosesson (JM): A friend of mine was planning a trip with a friend Diana and it sounded just the sort of experience I wanted so I asked Diana who has been x6 before if I might go with her on the next trip. My friend wrote her a short piece about me and we met and got on very well. 

P 4 P or Pick ups for piece is a Scottish charity run by a farmer who has cattle in Ukraine and Scotland. He was determined to help so began taking over used Pick ups that still had life in them to help the soldiers on the front line. They have now taken more than 900. 

Please see their website for more information: https://pickupsforpeace.co.uk/  

MO: You've also recently returned from a project with the charity. Could you share more details about what it entailed and what you were hoping to achieve? 

JM: In September, I travelled to Ukraine to deliver a pickup truck and humanitarian aid through Pick Ups For Peace (P4P), a Scottish charity that has now supplied 948 vehicles to support Ukraine's defence effort. These vehicles are often referred to as the "donkeys of war" because of the vital logistical roles they perform. 

My goal was to raise £6,000 towards the trip. Thanks to 87 generous donors, we raised more than £8,000, allowing us to provide generators and medical supplies as well as the vehicle. Diana, my travel partner and veteran of six previous P4P convoys, organised much of the practical side of the trip, including bookings, preparing the vehicle and sourcing much of the aid. 

We travelled in a well-used but reliable Ford Ranger named "Dolly" (after Dolly Parton), despite it having more than 160,000 miles on the clock. Our 1,500-mile journey took us through Belgium, Germany and Poland, including a sobering visit to Gross-Rosen, a former Nazi labour camp.  

In Poland, we stayed at Pałac Krobielowice, once owned by General von Blücher, who joined Wellington at Waterloo to help defeat Napoleon. 

At the Ukrainian border, all 37 vehicles involved in the convoy gathered before being driven through the night for handover. We left them, keys in the ignition, ready to be collected and put to use by the Ukrainians.  

From there, we travelled to Lviv in western Ukraine. Life in the city continues despite the constant threat of drone attacks, while many historic buildings and monuments remain protected against potential damage. 

One of the most emotional moments came the following morning. Every day at 9am, the city observes a minute's silence for those killed in the war. Traffic stopped, people stood still, and a voice over a loudspeaker called for respect and remembrance. 

We also visited military cemeteries, including the Field of Mars, where more than 1,000 soldiers from the Lviv region are buried. The rows of graves, each marked with Ukrainian flags, photographs, flowers and candles, were deeply moving. Some families were visiting loved ones. It was a stark reminder of the immense human cost of this unnecessary war. 

After a short tour of Lviv, we returned to Poland, spending the night in Rzeszów before travelling on to Kraków for our flight home.  

The trip passed incredibly quickly. It was a humbling and emotional experience that reinforced both the resilience of the Ukrainian people and the importance of continuing to support them. 

MO: Do you have any other similar events lined up for the future? 

JM: I would very much like to repeat the trip, it felt very worthwhile and the Ukrainians were so appreciative. The problem is asking individuals for money who have already given. I need to find other sources. 

MO: Can anyone get involved, and if so, how? (How would someone interested in Pickups for Peace find out more?) 

JM: I think interested parties should contact P 4 P by email. They are a small organisation in the UK so around trips they are very busy, so may be a little slow to respond. The next trip is in November and then February. 

MO: How did you become a Castlefield Client?  

JM: I became a Castlefield client through my husband. I became a Castlefield client through my husband. What appealed to us was Castlefield's belief that money can be a force for good, alongside helping people achieve their financial objectives. That's something that resonates strongly with me, especially now that I am retired and spend much of my time focused on giving back and helping others where I can. 

MO: Why do you feel investing in line with your values is important? 

JM: It makes a lot of sense to invest in line with my values, I wish more people did the same. l find giving and helping others a good way to spend my time now I am retired. 

Get involved

If you are interested in participating, donating, or fundraising, please contact Jo via email at: 

jomosesson@hotmail.com   

https://www.justgiving.com/charity/pickupsforpeace 

https://www.justgiving.com/page/jo-mosesson-1 

 Written by Michael Owens