FORMER Saints players Chris Joynt and Dave Lyon are travelling through six countries to the Polish border to help those fleeing the war in Ukraine.

The pair are among a group which is transporting 7.5 tonne vans filled with donations from generous residents.

The vehicles are making the 1,000 mile-plus journey with the team behind the wheel made up of representatives from the Archdiocese of Liverpool, Wigan and Leigh College, Wigan Council and Greenmount Projects.

Chris Joynt, 50, became Saints' most successful captain by the time he hung up his boots in 2004.

He joined the Knowsley Road club in 1992 from Oldham, and made more than 380 appearances in the red vee.

He lifted the Super League trophy after Grand Final wins in 1999, 2000 and 2002 for Saints.

He was also part of Challenge Cup final successes in 1996, 1997, 2001 and 2004 and scored in the World Club Challenge victory over Brisbane Broncos in 2001.

Individually, he won the Harry Sunderland award twice, for man-of-the-match displays in the 1993 Premiership final against Wigan at Old Trafford and again in 2000 in a Grand Final triumph over the Warriors.

St Helens Star: Chris Joynt in his playing days for SaintsChris Joynt in his playing days for Saints

Joynt also scored Saints' inconic 'Wide to West' try which sealed a last-gasp win at Knowsley Road for Saints in a Super League play-off game against Bradford in 2000.

Meanwhile, former Saints player Dave Lyon, who is now Wigan Council’s assistant director for housing and environment, is also among of those making the mammoth journey.

Dave made 66 appearances for Saints between 1992 and 1996, featuring at fullback in the 1993 Premisership final win. 

He also played for Widnes and Warrington, earlier in his career, and had a loan period at Leigh in 1996.

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Dave, 56, said: “It is a privilege to be able to, along with Wigan and Leigh College, Greenmount Projects and the Archdiocese of Liverpool, deliver the donations received from residents across the borough and the North West to the Poland border.

“The generosity shown by Wigan borough residents is really inspiring and I am proud to play my own part in it.

“It is a long journey, but nothing compared to the experiences of those fleeing war.”

The drive came about after the Archbishop of Liverpool, the Most Reverend Malcolm McMahon OP, called on people who live in the Archdiocese (which includes Wigan Borough) to donate essential items to help people in Ukraine.

In addition to delivering vital donations, the team have opened a JustGiving page to collect financial donations to help those affected by the conflict.

They are hoping to raise over £10,000 to help.

Wigan Council’s chief executive, Alison McKenzie-Folan, added: “I know that communities across Wigan Borough have watched the appalling situation unfolding in Ukraine with upset and horror and that some of our residents are directly affected.

“The experience shone a light on how our residents and staff embody our value of ‘be kind’ and our residents have done so much to help those facing the devastating impact of the war.

“We are so proud of how our communities have pulled together to make these donations and also proud of Dave for joining the team delivering these goods to those fleeing the conflict to neighbouring countries.”

On their first day the team travelled 580 miles through England, France, Belgium and the Netherlands.

They have been making their way through Germany and are due to arrive in Poland on Tuesday, March 29, where they hope to meet the auxiliary bishop of the Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of Sambir-Drohobych in Lviv, Gregory Komar.

 

To donate financially please visit the team’s JustGiving page: https://bit.ly/37W2egq