Four Seasons Retreat

20/08/2025

SAD NEWS: American actor Tom Cruise is said to have had a serious while filming an aerial scene for the movie "Mission: Impossible", only 15 minutes later the entire film crew had to stop all activities and announced that he had...

18/08/2025

Gearing up for my wing walk last weekend

18/08/2025

Gearing up for my fund raising wing walk on Saturday 16

18/08/2025

18/08/2025

Whilst driving through Lake on the Isle of Wight today I noticed a bright red bi plane flying quite low overhead and thought it was an acrobatic display . On closer inspection I realised there was a person stood on top of the top wing.
As I was only a half mile from Sandown/Lake airport I thought I’d pop in n watch it land. I realised it was a ‘wing walk’ experience affair. One of the organisers spotted my van with the Humanitarian Aid and Ukrainian symbols on it and asked if I was doing a wing walk for Ukraine Aid.
NO WAY! ! I said but ,,, long story short , I’m now booked to do a wing on walk this Saturday 16th August ‘25.
Now I have been known to do some crazy s # in my time but latley my fear of heights has escalated massively due to “advanced years probably “😀BUT…….if young Ukrainian lads and men in their late 30s can stand in a trench being shot at and repeatedly bombed ( and I’ve seen them , bankers,shop workers, waiters struggling well out of their comfort zone ) then I’m sure I can stand on the wing of a silly little bi plane flying at a few hundred feet to raise funds to buy them socks,beanie hats, gloves , thermal T-shirts to keep warm this coming winter. Our next trip out there is scheduled for end of September .
Last year my fund raising buddy Jan did a parachute jump for Ukraine so I guess it’s my turn. I will be paying for the flight myself but hope to raise a ‘ few Bob’ for the Ukrainian cause .
If you feel you would like to donate to help these heroes in UKR then please either
Donate to my UKR account directly.
Nigel Watson
Lloyds ,sort code 77/09/20
Account 22223168. OR
Pay Pal 07788728503

27/09/2024

Hi All . A quick update.
we are currently on 2800 miles ( 4500 km ) . Van behaving beautifully .
Last night we met our friends from previous visits and are going in 3 vans to Kherson city via Mykolaiv. Mykolaiv has a cheaper food outlet than here in Odesa where we will all load up with about £1500 worth of food to deliver to a riverside estate 1/2 from Russian encampments across the river. Our Canadian mate Stavy normally takes care of this area but is currently in Canada with severe cancer problems.
Then there are 39 elderly residents of hi rise flats who can’t access free food outlets that we will visits as done on our last visits in 2023.
We will be 2 English, 1 American,1 Canadian, 1 Dane , and a very brave 23 yr old Russian girl who is making all this possible with her organisational skills.ie permits n bulksh*t. ( too many volunteers killed in this area that officials making it difficult to get in ) . I have a Ukrainian friend with IOWight connections there who we can stay with. OMG another evening of drinking home brew whisky but someone has todo it to be internationally sociable 🥹

03/09/2024

This photo brings back memories.
A retired Ukrainian major riding shotgun with me , took me n young Luke to a farmhouse 5 mile from Bahkmut which was getting heavily fought over at the time . We had a van load of supplies for the military bought with ‘private ‘ donations. This aid is delivered in darkness to troops at the front .
Ten minutes after leaving at dusk in a wooded lane , I was stopped by a bespectacled Ukrainian officer with a clip board and asked where unit 108 was as he was lost . I was about to say where as it was our last drop when the retired major butted in n said we have no idea and to drive on.
100 mtrs down the lane our man was phoning headquarters to say Russians were in the area posing as Ukrainian soldiers.
The week before , 33 Ukrainian soldiers had their throats cut at the dead of night by Russian death squads in the area. Pretty sure I had crosshairs on my forehead for a few minutes back then .
6 days until we leave again for Odessa.
Any donations very welcome which will go towards an orphanage we are visiting, elderly villagers in hi rise buildings and dogs and cats shelters . Mainly in Odessa/ Kherson region .
Donate here..

https://gofund.me/87f45921

Thankyou .

Want to join me in making a difference? I'm raising money to benefit Blue Team … Martin Medina needs your support for Help Blue Team Int Repair Orphanage Roof

28/12/2023

https://youtu.be/lhIJrHRzD04?si=zeSKTin9vx_02Ixy
A video tour of Four Seasons Retreat in Bulgaria

http://www.fourseasonsretreat.co.uk/This is our video tour of Four Seasons Retreat - Family/Guest House.The village of Momchilovtsi is one of the safest and ...

27/12/2023

Right.. now Christmas is over and we’ve eaten and drank our fill , let me tell you a sad story and how you all might like to help.
I have a friend who lived/s in a flat below me with his wife in a dark courtyard in Odessa Ukraine . As he was something to do with shipping management his flat was his office and due to Putin’s blockage of Ukrainian ports he is suffering financially .
We used to talk as I used to pack my van with food bought into carrier bags for distant villages . The courtyard would be full and he’d sometimes help me . During these times we’d talk about all sorts as his English was pretty good . I found out more about the Watson clan’s Scottish connection from him and in which battles they fought in than any searches I’ve ever done. Kiril Good ( Cyril Good) has Scottish heritage going back generations ,though never having been there he can tell you of Scottish kings and queens and clans I’ve never heard of and dreams of going there one day .
This man, so mild and polite now 52 I believe tho works out everyday looks 40 years of age , has now been put into uniform and is in training since 3 weeks . At the start of February he will be on the frontline fighting against Russians , fighting for his life.
I’m guessing since he is a veteran of the Balkan war where he worked as a medic , ”he once had to avenge the death of a young girl whose hand he was holding shot by a sniper in Sniper Alley. ‘ he has been called up at his age and also being the main carer for his sick and disabled mum shows how desperate Ukraine is getting for manpower.
Cyril is an accomplished swordsman and shown me his skills once in that dark n grimy courtyard, scary stuff I can tell you ! His dream is to own a traditional Scottish fighting sword ( curved) so if anyone knows of which one it is can you let me know as it’s somebody like to take out to him when I’m able. Or God forbid , give to his mum.
Now the reason for this story which I hope you got to the end of 😀. I would like to be able to provide some financial support for his mother.
As he’s now unable to earn a proper wage to help provide for her and help will have to come from somewhere , I thought it might be a good thing that WE ,the British people might be able to help put his mind at rest whilst he’s fighting in the trenches. After all, he is fighting for in the long run I believe. 🇬🇧🇺🇦
I can get and support directly to his mum though my contacts there the next day .
If you feel able to help and I know it’s going to be a tough year please donate to my Gofundme account .

https://gofund.me/dc6c7ae5