Ukraine: Wrexham woman's family members killed

Family of a woman living in north Wales have been killed during the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

The horror of the conflict was brought to a group in Wrexham who were sorting donations to be sent to refugees.

As they worked, one of their volunteers got word that her family had been killed in a bombing near the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv.

"It makes us feel sad," said another volunteer, after a minute's silence was held for the woman.

"It could be any of us," said Lisa Ashley, a volunteer helping to organise the donation drive.

The woman's fellow volunteers bowed their heads for her family after spending the past week working alongside her.

Ms Ashley said: "We're all human beings and we're all afforded a family in one way or another. It doesn't matter where we come from, she is entitled to a family."

She added that the volunteers were determined to get a "convoy" of donated goods out to people on the Poland-Ukraine border who "desperately need it."

Up to 500 volunteers are helping to sort and ship a mountain of donated goods.

Anna Buckley, director of the Polish Integration Support Centre, said a Facebook appeal resulted in donations from as far away as London, the Isle of Man and Scotland.

She said people of all nationalities had volunteered to help organise the donations.

"We have Russians who came to help us, Ukrainians who came to help us, so everyone together," she said.

"I believe we all have the same heart. It shows the kindness and love I'm feeling so emotional about it.

"We are united, we all hate Putin. I can see the hope between people in this warehouse."

The group is working with the Polish government looking at how to ship all the donations from Wales to the Ukrainian border - both by lorry and possibly via air freight.

Ms Buckley said she hoped to start shipping the donations in the coming days, but there was more work to be done.