- I live in Canterbury, which is situated to the East of London. Almost 60 years ago my grandfather founded his own business selling fruit and vegetables. Now my parents continue grandfather’s work. They are greengrocers and they have their own shop. After finishing school when I was 18 years old I entered London University where I studied Law for 3 years. After University I continued my studies at Law School. Then I came back to Canterbury. Together with my parents and brother I worked in our shop. The working week is 90 hours.

- I get on well with my brother. We have almost the same interests. We like the same music, books etc. Unfortunately we sometimes fight with my sister and I only see her on Christmas Eve.

- I believe in God but I’m not terribly religious. I was brought up as a catholic, but I respect all beliefs.

- I like to listen to music, to read poetry and historical novels and to sit in the park with beer. I’m also keen on sport. I played football, hokey and I did boxing at school.

- Intelligent, rich and good-looking. The boys who are similar to my favourite actors – Brad Pitt and Bruce Willis.

- When I was 5-6 years old I had a dream to be a road worker and to dig holes. Then at 7 years old I wanted to serve in the Army.

- I want to be happy, to settle down, to bring up children and to do good.

- I’ve known Tony Budell from the organization “BHA” for many years. He kept asking me to come and to see Ukraine. I wanted to see your country and the citizens, to get acquainted with Aratta and to see how humanitarian aid from England is distributed.

- My impressions before I arrived here were pretty unremarkable and very stereotypical. Images of a grey, cold, dismal, dark and depressing post cold war USSR came to mind. But how wrong can one person be! I stepped of the plane into a bright sunny country to be greeted by smiling faces and happy words. And it was everywhere that I went and with every person that I met. I was surprised that there are so many churches in Ukraine. Almost all homes have icons on the walls. The most remarkable thing about Ukraine, compared to America and the UK, is that regardless of poverty and difficulties faced nobody stays down or unhappy for long. They jump up and are immediately looking to go forwards in a bright and positive way. We seem to have lost our way on that journey in the UK, and it is obvious from the miserable faces and our generally unwelcoming attitude towards strangers and things we don’t understand.It has opened my eyes to how much people can achieve together to see how everybody in Chernihiv helps each other to make even the simple things in life more bearable, and in turn make the negative positive.

I want to thank everybody that I’ve met in Ukraine for opening my eyes to the real country, and the people I have met I thank them for their generosity and open spirit – It has made me feel like I have a second home.