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Blog 4/4 UK Volunteers Strengthen Ukraine’s Fire Response with Final Delivery to Odesa

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, I’m including the arrival here. Besides, if the Podilsk blog had got any longer, you’d need a new device!

So, after the shortest journey of our trip—just three hours—we arrived in Odesa on Thursday evening, in daylight and on actual roads. We met Serhiy and his team at an Okko petrol station on the outskirts of Odesa, where the rapturous greeting we received was only the tip of the iceberg in terms of the hospitality that awaited us.

The team split and reconfigured like a well-muddled mojito—changing cars and vans and making new friends. Just ten minutes later, we crested a hill to the sound of sirens and, to our sheer amazement, were met with an incredible welcome. The team had rigged up a water cannon salute, creating a water bridge for us to drive through: it was overwhelming—an unforgettable moment – see the video at the end of the blog.

Under a blazing sun, we were ushered to the back of the firehouse, which boasted a beautiful outdoor social area clearly well-used by the crews. There began a wave of generous hospitality: refreshing, ice-cold beer; an assortment of Ukrainian sweet treats that would rival any Normandy patisserie, and homemade Ukrainian-style limoncello, served ice-cold.

We took a brief tour of the firehouse, though our hosts were more focused on getting us settled after such a busy day. That evening, we dined with our hosts and the recipients of the second fire engine at a Georgian restaurant on one of Odesa’s main streets. As the sun set, we shared stories and laughter, despite the regular interruptions of air raid siren – a stark reminder of where we were and why we were there.

We had an early start the next morning, greeted by the Mayor of Haverburg. Along with his staff, he took us on a tour of municipal buildings, schools, and medical and community centres. The pride they had in serving their citizens was truly inspiring. At the firehouse, we saw all aspects of their emergency response, equipment, vehicles, and new infrastructure, and discussed their future needs and aspirations. With over 5,000 internally displaced people now living in the area, their services are under intense pressure. One urgent requirement is for more ambulances, and Robin Yssen immediately grabbed the baton, and texts were flying to Norway to help address this in our next convoy.

As we visited another secondary school, the value placed on education was clear. Students were genuinely thrilled by our visit, and the respect they showed for learning was impressive, as in turn was the building, a relatively new-build handed over slightly before the war and a stunning example of the direction Ukraine sees itself heading in.

The Mayor and Serhiy later hosted us for an incredibly generous lunch, beginning with borscht and followed by an endless procession of Ukrainian dishes. Natalka, our translator, was once again invaluable, explaining each dish and offering cultural context that made the meal even more meaningful.

After lunch, we continued with a more detailed tour of the firehouse and emergency services facilities. In a light-hearted moment, both guests and hosts tested their skills on the fireman’s pole – friendly rivalry ensued, with the ladies possibly the most competitive.

Our next stop was sobering. We visited the ruins of the former Command and Control Centre for the Odesa city and suburbs, completely destroyed in an airstrike. Sixteen fire and emergency service vehicles were obliterated along with the entire command infrastructure, leaving the city exposed. To make matters worse, this was also one of the main hubs for incoming humanitarian aid. Over 100 tonnes of humanitarian aid were lost in the blaze. Today, nothing remains but twisted, rusted metal—a haunting sculpture of destruction. It’s difficult to imagine what once stood there, and even harder to picture it ever functioning again.

Traditional Ukrainian certificates and small keepsakes were exchanged. Ukrainian chocolates, jams, and local honey were among the pieces of Ukraine we would take home with us. Once again, professionalism kicked in, and the team got back to work, delivering a bespoke handover of the fire appliance to ensure it could be operational as quickly as possible. Our team worked closely with the Ukrainian crews, making sure they felt confident and fully briefed on every aspect of their newest acquisition.

It continued to be extraordinary to watch how teams from different nations transcended language barriers so naturally. Life-savers and first responders speak a shared language—one of instinct, commitment, and solidarity. Words aren’t always needed when the mission is understood at a core level.

With the handover complete, the job was done. Mission complete. Success.

So, we did what you do in Ukraine with success—we celebrated.

Our hosts took us back into Odesa and onward to the shores of the Black Sea. For the first time in days, we allowed ourselves a moment to pause, to absorb not only the beauty of our surroundings but the weight of what had been achieved together.

A moment of reflection became one of realisation, and of opportunity. So, boys will be boys. With the work done, and in the blink of an eye, the “branding” was off — both literally and figuratively — as seven grown men set off on a voyage of discovery.

One pressing question shared their common thoughts: how cold is the Black Sea at the start of May?

After a brief splash—just enough to say you’d done it, get some pictures, and confirm that the answer was “pretty cold”—the team retreated to an enormous, round wooden table overlooking the water. As the night rolled in, we wondered whether it would bring the peace of stars or the “deadly twinkle” of war in the night sky.

The evening flowed, as did the beverages. Hearts were touched and hands were held – both physically and metaphorically. A gentle hush settled over the group, the kind that only comes with shared experience. The stories grew longer, the laughter softer. The night was writing its own story.

As the cool May air drifted in from the ocean, new friends nestled under blankets, held by the moment and then back to the realities of meeting up in the stairwells at 3 am!

In the morning, the whole team, joined by our generous hosts, came together for a final moment at the hotel before splintering off and returning to our respective lives. Chris led the firefighters out through Moldova after a brisk five-hour bus ride. Simon, Robin, and Brian returned to Uzhhorod for one more night.

Later, Brian departed via Slovakia, while Simon and Robin crossed back into Poland to bring Bettie home to HQ – and begin preparations for the next one.

And, so, all that remains is to draw your attention to what truly matters: good people and the power of global collaboration, which can be built when people unite behind a shared goal.

This project was made possible through a Vyshyvanka (embroidered, many threads) of support, stretching across the United Kingdom, Japan, the United States, Norway, and Ukraine itself. With heartfelt thanks to the Pomerleau Family Foundation – Burlington, WDRAC – Tokyo, the Diss & District Rotary Club – UK, Jonathan Lubecky, Actions Beyond Words, individual donors and sponsors across the globe, Angloco, Operation Florian, JW Glenn – and yes, Dover Firehouse. You’ll need the first blog to get the joke.

Thank you for riding with us – your belief fuels every mile. Our next mission is already in planning, and we’ll be rolling again within the next six weeks.

We hope you enjoyed the journey.

The entire mission has been split into four blogs. If you’d like to read about our journey across Europe to our first destination in Uzhhorod, click here. To read about the delivery of our first firetruck, P1 Uzhhorod, click here. If you want to learn about our community school visit in Podilsk, click here.