'Wrapathon' event sees 25,000 gifts go to Ukraine

The "wrapathon", which is in its third year, saw hundreds of volunteers gift wrap toys, books and other donated items at events held in Ipswich in Suffolk, Bath, Swindon in Wiltshire, Kempston in Bedfordshire and other towns last month.

Sergej Zubaryev, who organises distributing the presents in Ukraine, said the gifts ensured children would not feel forgotten.

Jeremy Fish, from the Plant & Hire Aid Alliance which organised the wrapathon, said he hoped 2025 would bring an end to the conflict in the country.

Mr Zubaryev said: "Britain is many kilometres away from Ukraine, but those are just distances."

"In spirit, they live with us and with our children.

"I want to say that the world has stopped seeing orphans and children in Ukraine specifically, but thanks to the British people, and especially Jeremy, his kind and patient wife, and his friends who trust him, many people and children will feel warmth in their hearts.

"They know that God and Britain are with them," he said.

Mr Zubaryev added that the gifts were a "piece of kindness" that brought hope and warmth to the people of Ukraine.

Mr Fish, who is a founding member of the Plant and Hire Aid Alliance, came up with the idea for the event after driving a van of humanitarian aid to the Ukrainian border in February 2022.

He thanked gift contributors and volunteers.

"Fingers crossed, this will be the last time we need to do this and that 2025 brings peace, stability and common sense back to the world," he said.

The president of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, said earlier this month that 43,000 of the country's soldiers had died since the war's escalation in 2022.

He also claimed 198,000 Russian soldiers had been killed and a further 550,000 wounded.

-BBC