I apologise now for the length of this letter but I would like to share with you experiences that took place 8 and 9 days ago, experiences that have profoundly affected me and my outlook on life and humanity and has taken until now for me to be able to put my experiences in writing but I feel that I must do so whilst I can still remember and feel the unexpected raw emotions of a week past Sunday.
Attached are some pictures of my very recent trip to spend time with members of WIMA Ukraine. (WIMA – Women’s International Motorcycle Association)
When I started as WIMA International Vice President for 3 years and then as President for 5 years I wanted to visit as many of our now 40 national divisions as possible on my motorcycle. Ukraine had been high on my list ever since Russia invaded them 4 years ago, hoping that I would be able to spend time with their members once the war was over.
As the years passed, that seemed increasingly unlikely especially once America withdrew their support for all overseas aid. When Trump and his gang publicly rounded on Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the Oval Office, ridiculing him and Ukraine (and unintentionally himself and Vance) I realised that having a 2025 Ukrainian stamp in my passport along with a much older Russian stamp, would probably prevent me attending this year’s 75th Anniversary rally in Maine, USA.
As it turned out there was a brief window of opportunity developed before I stood down from office on 11th October.
I calculated that I could get to Lviv and back to Poland on one tank of fuel so as not to use up Ukrainian resources; there had been little or no bombing of Lviv for a long time and the UK Foreign Office advice said that was safe for essential visits – unlike the rest of Ukraine which is not recommended at all for British travellers.
I consider supporting WIMA Ukraine as being essential because, apart from the WIMA Austria National President 3 or 4 years ago, no WIMA members have visited that country whereas all of our other European divisions are regularly visited. I have also visited and supported most of our European divisions, sitting speaking and sharing time with ordinary members to see what issues they face and how we, WIMA International, could best support them.
WIMA Ukraine have continuously embraced our WIMA objective, which is
“to improve and promote activities, advancement, goodwill and friendship amongst women motorcycle enthusiasts from around the world. WIMA aims at using the common interest of motorcycling to promote the well-being of women in general.”
A supportive visit by a serving International President was, in my opinion, definitely essential.
I already knew that their National WIMA President, Alena, regularly visits older and vulnerable people and children living near to the front line to distribute food, medicines that are not available locally and small treats, like a simple bar of chocolate; Alena also distributes small gifts to the children in December so that they at least have one Christmas gift. I know this because in 2022, WIMA members across the world collected 20,000 euros in just 1 month to support Alena’s voluntary work and WIMA Austria donated equipment and a camper van in which she could travel to these remote frontline groups. Alena and her husband also have their own business of an indoor sports club in the basement of their building which is used regularly and freely by local children during air raids with the agreement of their parents. Children and young people can be safe together with their friends.
So it was on Friday 3rd October that I arrived to a very warm WIMA Ukraine welcome at the Motozona Hotel on the outskirts of Lviv, having ridden over 2000 kilometres through France, Germany, Czech Republic and Poland but at 4:00am on Sunday, on the day that I was returning home, I was woken to sounds of explosions in nearby Lviv.
We had first visited Lviv city centre after sunset on the Friday where, like cities around the world, all generations were promenading and children played amongst a colourful fountain but apart from that one fountain and just one façade of the Opera House, everywhere above eye level was in darkness, including magnificent statues and buildings all because of the power shortages across the country.
On the Saturday we returned to Lviv and wandered the beautiful streets cafes and restaurants, including a below street level themed coffee mine and an even deeper restaurant themed as a WWII resistant fighter bunker complex – yes the Ukrainians have a weird sense of humour. Some important buildings and monuments in the centre are shrouded in protective covers, to be removed only when the war is won. Railings in front of the town are adorned with ribbons placed there by mothers whose sons and daughters are being held as prisoners in Russia
During the day over coffee and wine I learned of their ambitions to hold a WIMA Rally in Ukraine once the war is won (note: not if but when), that Alena was almost on the receiving end of a bullet which penetrated the van windscreen whilst another damaged the engine – both are now ok and back in service but Alena now wears a bullet-proof waistcoat provided by her brother when she is on her visits. I learned that a WIMA Ukraine member signed up for 1 year of military service but three years on she has still not been discharged from the army.
My most unusual visit on Saturday though was to a small drone factory operated by volunteers where they design and manufacture drones and equipment requested by the soldiers themselves, all paid for through fundraising. Young students design the software to suit the soldiers requests. Attachments are designed to carry not just government provided munitions but food, ammunition and anything else necessary to fight a war. They recondition captured and downed Russian drones and make waterproof cases for the 12 bore shotguns cartridges that fire small nets rather than shot to bring down enemy drones. They service and convert donated 4×4 vehicles that they use to distribute what they manufacture – these vehicles may only last for one mission but are still required to be able to travel at 100kph over rough blasted terrain to escape the enemy drones trying to destroy them.
When I asked about fear of detection, it was pointed out that they need to raise their profile to raise funds and that Putin has already published wanted posters and photographs of the founder of this group so he seemed resigned to what might happen to him. The whole operation could be boxed up and transported to another site if necessary. I was only allowed to take my photographs on my old camera that cannot capture dates, places or times but does take a good picture.
And so to Sunday morning, I realised immediately what had woken me up but was not fearful as I had previous rationalised that even if there was an unexpected raid, statistically I was most unlikely to be injured and even less likely to be killed. Lviv has a population of over 700,000. Reports state that up to 50 people might be injured in a raid (that is a less than 0.01% chance) and deaths are a tenth of that (0.001%).
I could quickly identify the difference between air defence action and the sound of Shahad drones and missiles. There must have been an air defence unit close by as the loud thump-thump-thump in quick succession felt as though they were shaking the ground. I could hear the drones getting louder then receding as they flew over the hotel and I immediately felt guilty that I could possibly be relieved that it was not me but someone else who faced death or injury that night.
Some explosions were getting closer and we later learned that a family of 5, including their 15-year-old daughter, were killed just 2 km away.
Then there was the big explosion that did actually shake the whole hotel, the bedroom blinds shook and the car and motorbike alarms in the car-park all went off. No amount of rational thinking could dispel the instant fear that momentarily swept over me.
In all, 140 drones and 23 missiles were fired at Lviv and surrounding areas over a 4-hour period on Sunday 6th October, the largest number since the start of the war.
I do not wish to ever repeat the experience but, equally, it is one that I am glad to have had, to know the feeling of utter helplessness because I was in a fairly new hotel with massive windows and no shelter, of knowing that my 4 hours were but nothing compared to the 4 years of bombing that Ukrainian citizens have endured and my absolute respect and admiration for the Ukrainian people in their fight to retain what is theirs, not wanting to conquer other countries, just to live safely in their own country which is being systematically destroyed by Russia and failed by the rest of the world.
If anyone wants to help Alena with her work to support children and older people she is able to accept donations by PayPal at Garnadivka@gmail.com and/or if you would like to help the drone factory, they will accept Paypal payments at lvivseven@gmail.com or through their website at https://aprilforces.com
Thank you.
13 Oct 2025
