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Veteran John praised for charity work in Ukraine

Veteran John Pagan, who spends much of his time making humanitarian visits to Ukraine, has been praised for his courage and dedication to his adopted homeland during a visit to the Ukrainian Consulate in Edinburgh.

John, who served for 11 years with the Royal Scots and the Army Catering Corps, splits his time between Scotland and Ukraine and is currently back at SVR’s Edinburgh residence Whitefoord House, but he will be returning to Ukraine in October with another vehicle full of supplies. Each time he goes, he takes vehicles and supplies, which are then gratefully distributed by a charity there.

He explained: “I’ve been going there for 14 years now and since the full-scale invasion of 2022, I have continued to visit Ukraine, especially the city Sumy, in the north east of the country. I work with Balu charity in Sumy and I buy and donate vehicles to them, as well as supplies for the soldiers. I also donate clothes and shoes to the local people of Sumy, some of it kindly donated and given to me by SVR.”

During his visit to the Consulate, where he was joined by SVR’s Head of External Relations Colin Leslie, John shared his story and experiences with the Consul of Ukraine Andrii Madzianovski, and was warmly thanked for his efforts.

A Facebook post shared by the Consulate said: “Deep gratitude was expressed to John for his unique, long-standing contribution to supporting our country. John is a man of exceptional courage and a big heart.

“A significant part of his volunteer spirit and efforts over the years has been dedicated to the Sumy region, where he personally delivered vital aid. Today, drawing on his military experience, John is focusing his efforts on gathering tactical medical supplies, assembling IFAK first-aid kits and coordinating volunteer logistics routes from the UK.  Scottish veterans, and John Pagan in particular, prove that true brotherhood and solidarity know no borders.

“The Consulate of Ukraine in Edinburgh extends its sincere thanks to John Pagan for his years of tireless work, compassion and unwavering support for Ukraine.”