Author: Simon Massey

Somehow, Friday morning rolled around, and it had been a week since we’d left England. The air raid sirens had silenced, at least for now, and it was time to deliver our final fire appliance.For full transparency, we’d arrived at the firehouse the night before, but in the interest of keeping things in chronological order,...

It was a bright and sunny morning as the team packed the support vehicle, grabbed a quick breakfast, and readied themselves for the road ahead. Hard to believe we were already five days into the project - how could it be Tuesday already? Fourteen hundred miles behind us, and another five hundred still to go...

There was a common theme to the start of our first full day in Ukraine: waking up in Uzhhorod with bleary eyes, snooze buttons hit more than once, strong coffee, late showers, and hastily grabbed breakfasts. Our Rotarian counterpart had kindly arranged a tour of the historic city for those keen to explore, while others...

It’s almost unfathomable to begin writing this. Just 14 days ago, two firefighting appliances that had left Norwich some 30 hours earlier, carrying a team of four dedicated current and former firefighters, and a retired NHS CEO as well as Diss & District Rotarian,  arrived in Medyka, Poland. They had crossed Europe through days, nights,...

A Week of Impact: Delivering Aid Across UkraineAs December's chill gave way to January’s freeze, reflections on the past year merged with plans for future endeavours. In December 2024, an international coalition, spearheaded by Actions Beyond Words (ABW), gathered in Poland to prepare for a week of relentless effort in Ukraine. Friends and colleagues from...

This isn’t just a story of digital connections or AI magic—there’s a real heart behind it. Mark wasn't just another seasoned veteran when he arrived in Poland from Kansas to volunteer with Actions Beyond Words (ABW) for six weeks in September and October of 2024. Yes, he brought a wealth of hands-on expertise from countless...

At the end of August, Actions Beyond Words (ABW) had the honor of welcoming back War Disaster Reconstruction Assistance Center (WDRAC) member Hoshi-San, affectionately known as “Star Man,” who traveled all the way from Japan to join our team in delivering aid to Ukraine. This marked his second mission with us, demonstrating his unwavering commitment...

When you think of Ukraine in July 2024, your mind might immediately jump to the ongoing war, the tragedies, the horrific bombing of the children's cancer hospital, and the desperation of countless families. Finding reasons to celebrate seems almost impossible unless you're using words like resilience, stoic, and committed.However, amidst the turmoil, we were delighted...

It was 10:30 AM when the sleeper train from Przemyśl, Poland, pulled into Podilsk station in Odesa Oblast. After a 14-hour journey across Ukraine in a cabin that felt like the inside of a volcano, we finally arrived. The temperature was a blistering 92°F (33°C) as we stepped off the train into clear blue skies...