A Women’s Institute group collected gifts for Ukrainian children and mothers to help make their Christmas a little more normal.

The Somborne Sisterhood bought around 50 to 60 stocking fillers to make the time of year special for Ukrainian families in the area with the help of Reverend Benson.

Around 30 members took part to try and find the gifts that children would love before the sisterhood’s final meeting of the year, where the group took over Poppies Crafts in Timsbury to paint pottery and celebrate with mince pies and prosecco.

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Committee member Rebecca Rickard said: “It was a really nice and humbling thing to do. Generally, King’s Somborne is quite an affluent area and we count ourselves lucky. We wanted to give to those less fortunate.

“It must be awful to be without your husband and the whole family so we wanted to help those mothers keep Christmas a little more normal and let them know we’re thinking of them. As a Mum myself I felt moved by people's generosity.

“I am sure that these lovely families will be touched by our genuine desire to help and try and make this time of the year special, albeit their worries about separated loved ones.”

The Somborne Sisterhood meets each month in the village hall for activities such as crafting, cake and campaigning.