Swindon charity collecting candles for Ukraine

A charity supporting people affected by the conflict in Ukraine is asking people to donate leftover Christmas candles to send to the country.

Swindon Humanitarian Aid Partnership (SHAP) say the candles are much-needed as some people in Ukraine only have electricity for a few hours each day.

They can be donated at a range of locations including Swindon's Christ Church and Marlborough Golf Club.

"The response has been overwhelming," said SHAP chairman Mike Bowden.

Mr Bowden said it is hard to keep the conflict in Ukraine in the public eye and they had been thinking of a way to link it with the Christmas period in the UK.

He asked people who had used candles over the festive period to donate them to a good cause, rather than throw them away.

"We've been working really hard to support Ukrainians in Swindon and to provide 750 tonnes of aid into Ukraine," he said.

"The constant challenge is to keep Ukraine at the centre of media attention, there's a lot going on.

"We've had candles that we can just box up and send and we are melting down candle ends and making some in in the Ukrainian colours."

SHAP will collect the candles and transport them out to Ukraine in the coming weeks as winter continues.

Mother-of-two, Zoreslava, joined SHAP after leaving Ukraine six months ago, leaving behind many family members.

"I'm very grateful to all the British people who are helping and supporting us and sharing their houses with us," she said.

"Half of my family are still in Ukraine now and it's so difficult to hear how people are living, without electricity, gas, running water, and cooking with a light in their hand.

"We need generators and power packs but we understand it's expensive and we devised there is a simpler way to support Ukraine

"We want to link Christmas celebrations with the urgent need for candles to provide basic light during the cold dark months of winter," she added.

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