Group in Hereford continuing efforts to support people in Ukraine by sending trench candles
Hereford Help for Ukraine have been playing their part in making trench candles which help provide light and warmth to those who need it
A group in Herefordshire has been providing support for those in Ukraine by helping make trench candles to send to the country.
Hereford Help for Ukraine has been joining efforts to create the candles which aim to offer light and warmth that can be used for a variety of things.
The work has been taking place ahead of the fourth anniversary of Russia starting its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, with today (24 February) marking exactly four years since that began.
Valentyna Haines, who is based in Worcestershire and moved to the UK over twenty years ago, has been volunteering on the trench candles project.
On their purpose and what the candles aim to do, Valentyna said: "The idea of trench candles is it's an empty tin filled with corrugated paper, either rolled up or in a star shape and then filled with wax.
"So it provides light and warmth and there are different types as well, so the more paper you put in, the more heat it gives, but it doesn't last as long, the more wax you put in, it lasts longer, but doesn't give as much heat."
Valentyna said the idea all originally started for her with the tins that were filled with paper being sent to Gloucestershire to get filled with wax, but when she had 800 tins available which were empty due to demand growing because of winter, she needed help to do them.
It was here where Lena Marchenko from the Association of Ukrainians in Great Britain (AUGB) Hereford branch got in touch to organise for them to help out, where during the first session at the end of January they ended up finishing 200 candles.
Kidderminster-based candlemakers Parks London then stepped in following the second session to fill and cool the candles faster with wax faster, with hundreds being done and then getting sent to Ukraine along with the others.
"We were able to fill 700 and cool them down at the same time (at the factory)." Valentyna said.
"So in total about 900 went to Ukraine, they left the UK on the 11 February and arrived in Ukraine on 16th February and we had confirmation and photos of it.
"It's just a nice feeling to be able to give practical support to Ukraine and to send the message that we are with them, they are not alone."
She said they will continue to make them with any further support welcomed, and has praised the people in the area who have helped so far.
"It's just nice to see that people actually care and it's always nice that people can offer their time, their energy, their support, and I'm just touched by the kindness of the community," she added.
The most recent session on Saturday (21 February) saw another 471 trench candles prepared by the group at the church house in St Peter's Church in Hereford.