Hope and Aid Direct delivers humanitarian aid directly into the hands of refugees, displaced persons or those at risk.
Their focus is currently in Kosovo, although aid has also been delivered to Bosnia, Croatia, Romania, Zambia and Sri Lanka. They have no paid staff, only volunteers, and are not affiliated to any particular organisation, religion or ethnic group.
Their motto is simple: "We take aid, not sides."
Aware of the need for volunteers only a month before flying out to Kosovo, Jerry was able to raise more than £1,200 in donations from friends, colleagues at BAE Systems in Samlesbury, the Lytham St Annes Lions and local businesses such as The Clifton Pharmacy.
Jerry, of Blackpool Road, said: "This was my first time on an aid mission in Kosovo with Hope and Aid Direct and my emotions are still running high.
"Even though I had been briefed as to what to expect, I was still surprised that there is so much poverty 10 years after the war, with proud people of all ethnic backgrounds in dire circumstances.
"Hopefully now, with independence, international investment will start to turn the country round, but it will be a slow process, with aid being required for many years to come.
"Kosovo is a country of such contrast – beautiful mountains covered in snow, hiding left over land mines and people shivering in their homes of tents and corrugated huts.
"I was able to meet many people from different ethnic backgrounds who lived in Kosovo. They all had a heartbreaking story to tell.
"I was also humbled by the hospitality of the locals – after delivering aid we were often invited into their homes and offered a drink. You would think this was kind of them, but when we realise how little they have, yet how they want to share that with us, it is immense."


CHILDREN in Kosovo eacted with "absolute delight" on being given a small bag of sweets, aid worker Jerry Coughlan said.
"They finally had something that belonged to them and were so very unaccustomed to receiving gifts," he explained. "It was a joy to see the pleasure when children were given shoe boxes that had been filled and wrapped by schoolchildren in the UK.
"Eleven trucks from all over the UK, packed full with more than 60 tonnes of aid, ranging from food, clothes, household goods and toiletries to school desks and more left a week before me in convoy. Each truck was manned by two drivers."
Mr Coughlan followed by air with the other 14 people in the flying crew.
With the local support of the Mother Teresa Society, aid was distributed to 1,600 families in dire need in the Peja, Prizren, Pristina and Mitrovica regions. Eight schools were also visited and wide ranges of equipment - from laptop computers to exercise books - were delivered.
Mr Coughlan said: "There are so many children, and so little money to pay teachers, that some schools run up to four child shifts in each school day. There were two particular projects for this convoy. First, the provision of high visibility bands in response to the injury and tragic loss of life on the poorly lit roads - and secondly, rehabilitation equipment for the only centre for Kosovan people with physical and learning disabilities which cares for over 200 adults and children as day guests and about 20 who are residential."
* Jerry plans to return to Kosovo again in either in October this year or Easter 2009. To find out how you can help, or get further information, contact Jerry at jerrycou@hotmail.com or on (01253) 730204. Jerry would also be pleased to speak to any groups who would be interested in hearing more.