29-01-2026
In the summer of 2025, Chios was hit by two major forest fires in June and August, leading to the island being declared in a state of emergency, with tens of thousands of stremmata burned. The fires threatened both the island’s natural biodiversity and forests, as well as the primary sector.
Desmos consistently responds to requests from regions and communities affected by natural disasters. Accordingly, in the period following the devastating 2025 wildfires in Chios, Desmos mobilised to raise and utilise donations to support the affected area.
The TIMA Charitable Foundation and the Reale Foundation—the charitable foundation of the Reale Group, of which Ydrogios Insurance is also a member—responded positively. The two foundations partnered with Desmos to provide 29,700 kg of bee feed to 70 beekeepers, members of the Agricultural Beekeeping Cooperative of Chios. This donation will cover the feeding needs of 5,846 hives for the critical three winter months. In addition, the Reale Foundation provided a donation for the purchase of essential operational equipment for members of 8 volunteer forest-firefighting teams working under Chios Civil Protection.
The donations were delivered through Desmos, as implementing partner, in collaboration with the donors TIMA Charitable Foundation and Reale Foundation – Ydrogios Insurance, and bring immediate environmental and economic benefit to Chios. In the context of concluding the emergency support for the local community, Desmos, the Reale Foundation and Ydrogios Insurance visited Chios on Wednesday, 28 January 2026. During the visit, representatives of the organisations met with the volunteer action group “Omikron” and the Agricultural Beekeeping Cooperative of Chios. An event followed at the Homerion Cultural Centre of the Municipality of Chios, where the support actions were presented and highlighted, with participation from representatives of beneficiary organisations, volunteer forest-firefighting teams, local authorities and local media.
Mr Paul Kidner, Board Adviser at the TIMA Charitable Foundation, said:
“The catastrophic fires in Chios affected not only beekeepers’ livelihoods, but an entire ecosystem. Bees are not merely honey producers—they are vital organisms essential to the regeneration of agricultural land and the area’s natural flora.
By supporting beekeepers during this critical winter period, we invest both in their resilience and in the region’s ecological recovery. When bee colonies survive and thrive, they become key partners in pollinating for the regrowth of plants, shrubs and crops that will restore the island’s natural landscape.
This is the essence of our holistic approach to support: recognising that supporting people and protecting nature are inseparable goals. Chios’s beekeepers are not only guardians of their hives—they are stewards of the island’s ecosystem.”
Ms Virginia Antonini, General Manager & Head of International Institutional Affairs at the Reale Foundation, said:
“The Reale Foundation operates based on the values of solidarity and mutuality that guide the Reale Group, with a mission to deliver measurable and meaningful impact, especially when local communities are being tested.
With the activation of the Emergency Protocol for the first time in Greece, we are standing in practical solidarity with the people of Chios affected by the catastrophic fires. In partnership with Desmos, we are supporting the island’s volunteer forest firefighters with the necessary protective equipment so they can continue their critical work safely, and we are strengthening Chios’s beekeepers, contributing to the preservation of their apiaries and local production.
Guided by Reale Group’s purpose, ‘Caring for people for a better world, together’, the Reale Foundation supports the most vulnerable and promotes resilient, sustainable communities.”
Mr Christos Giannopapas, President of the Agricultural Cooperative of Beekeepers of Chios, said:
“We would like to express our heartfelt and warmest thank you to the NGO, Desmos, for the valuable support and solidarity shown to the beekeepers affected by the catastrophic fires.
During an exceptionally difficult period, your immediate response, practical assistance and genuine interest have been a source of hope and strength. Your support was not only material; it was also moral, reminding us that we are not alone and that collective action can make a difference.
Your contribution to the effort to restore beekeeping activity and the area’s natural balance is invaluable. Thank you for standing by us with respect, consistency and humanity.”
Mr Ioannis Malafis, Mayor of Chios, stated:
“Today’s contribution by Desmos to Chios’s volunteer forest protection and firefighting teams is far more than a handover of equipment. It is an act of recognition and tangible support for people who, with selflessness and a sense of responsibility, stand firmly on the front line to protect our home.
The fires that tested Chios left a deep mark on all of us. They also taught us something very important: that without our volunteers, without collective effort and everyone’s cooperation, no organised state can respond effectively to such crises.
Initiatives like Desmos’s meaningfully strengthen our teams’ operational readiness and demonstrate, in practice, the power of collaboration between local government, civil society and social service organisations. I would like to express a sincere ‘thank you’ both to Desmos and to all the volunteers who, every day, offer their time, effort and soul for the common good.”
Mr Georgios Zoas, Deputy Mayor of Chios for Civil Protection, stated:
“The equipment being delivered substantially strengthens the work of the volunteer teams and the overall readiness of the municipality’s Civil Protection mechanism. Cooperation with Desmos has a real operational footprint.”
Mr Giorgos Rodakis, President of the Chios Omikron volunteer action group, said:
“We would like to express our warmest thank you to the NGO, Desmos, for the valuable support and trust provided at a critical moment for our area, following last summer’s forest fires.
Your contribution has been decisive in enabling us to continue our work. Thanks to your support, we were able to strengthen our existing equipment and remain in a position to continue our activities. Initiatives like these demonstrate your tangible social responsibility and give us the strength to keep contributing to our community.”
Following the events in Chios, Ms Emily Kern, General Manager of the NGO Desmos, said:
“We are deeply moved that we were in Chios six months after the devastating fires that marked the island, at a time when the media spotlight has now faded. Despite this, the wounds remain open, and the people of the island continue to struggle.
Our presence on the island has one purpose only: to stand by them and to offer help and hope. We would like to express our deep sense of gratitude to our supporters — the TIMA Charitable Foundation and the Reale Foundation — who trusted us and responded in practical ways, supporting through their donations the Beekeepers and the Volunteer Forest Firefighters of Chios.”
The TIMA Charitable Foundation was established in 2011 with a mission to support development and social improvement in the field of ageing in Greece. As a philanthropic organisation, it supports non-profit organisations active in Greece through donations. The Foundation makes donations primarily in the areas of social welfare and health, predominantly for the benefit of underprivileged segments of society. Donations are also made in the fields of education, arts and culture, exclusively to support programmes concerning elderly people in Greece. Furthermore, in cases of natural disasters and extraordinary events, the TIMA Charitable Foundation responds by seeking to provide relief to affected communities. Learn more at timafoundation.org
The Reale Foundation is the charitable foundation of the Reale Group, of which Ydrogios Insurance has been a member since 2024. The Foundation prioritises supporting initiatives in Italy, Spain, Chile and Greece, for the benefit of the communities in which the Reale Group operates. Its actions focus on three key areas: Health and Welfare, Social Inclusion & Development, and Environment & Sustainable Communities. Learn more at realefoundation.org
Desmos is a non-profit organisation that operates as a trusted link for social contribution in Greece, connecting donations from individuals, companies and foundations with documented and verified needs of civil-society organisations and bodies across the country, in an effective and transparent manner. According to an Impact Study conducted by Deloitte for Desmos (April 2025), for every €1 donated to support Desmos’s operations, €10.7 is returned to society. Learn more at desmos.org
