Ardent’s Jeremy Fish on aid to Ukraine

Jeremy Fish, CEO of Ardent Hire Solutions in the UK, is continuing his efforts to supply humanitarian aid to Ukraine and has established a direct route to providing help inside the country.

A delivery of mattresses to Ukraine organised by Ardent Hire in the UK.

Fish, whose career includes five years in Russia with Aggreko, has been at the forefront of efforts in Europe’s rental and construction equipment sector in seeking practical ways to support the people of Ukraine.

Working with Rotary International he has established a route into the country for aid including equipment, mattresses and – the current focus – non-perishable food.

“The next mission is to provide long-life food”, said Fish. “We have bought three tonnes of food which is being shipped to [Ardent’s warehouse in] Ipswich.

“We can get 27 pallets of food on a 40 ft container and we need another 24 pallets. We’ll find a way of getting it.”

Fish and his volunteers have already driven three trucks across Europe to a delivery site at Košice in Eastern Slovakia - set up by Rotary - from where it is transported onward to Ukraine.

“The materials we’re delivering are to are places that other agencies can’t get to”, he told IRN, “Local people are driving right into the war zone and getting stuff to directly to the people that need it”

Aid deliveries being organised at Ardent Hire’s warehouse in Ipswich, UK.

Fish said anyone wishing to donate can either ship directly to Ipswich, or if they are located in continental Europe he can provide details of the delivery site in Slovakia (see below).

He said numerous organisations that have already provided help, including mattress suppliers and, from the construction sector, Manitou, Thwaites, Hitachi CM, Watling JCB and Kubota.

On his own role, he said he had donated to international relief organisations but had still “felt a sense of hopelessness. After donating, did I feel a bit better? No, I felt I had to do more.”

• For details of the delivery site in Slovakia, or to send materials to Ipswich, contact Jeremy Fish directly by e-mail: [email protected]