*More than 30 churches across Carlisle have come together to collect nearly a quarter of a tonne of candles to help people in Ukraine.
Over two months, congregations across the city and in rural parishes within the Carlisle Deanery have worked together to collect the candles which have now been transported to a special project in Wiltshire
Swindon Humanitarian Aid Partnership (SHAP) oversees the shipments to Ukraine, to help those people who are struggling without power and heat.
Carolyne Baines, churchwarden at St Michael’s Burgh by Sands, first read about the SHAP project in the Church Times. She said: “This was something that I thought was very worthwhile and which churches could easily get involved with. The response to the appeal has been beyond everyone’s expectations and an amazing 230 kilograms of candles have been collected.
“We are also very grateful for the help and support of the Rotary Club of Carlisle who arranged for the collection of candles to be taken down to Swindon.”
Churches within the Carlisle Rural Mission Community - to the west and south of the city - have also been involved, as well as St George’s United Reformed Church in the city centre.
Cardboard boxes full of new and partly-used candles donated by congregations were taken to SHAP’s warehouse unit. That is where trench candles are produced to provide a heat source for Ukrainians, who face winters where temperatures plummet to minus 30 degrees Celsius.
The Rev Simon Bickersteth, Vicar of St James Carlisle and Rural Dean for Carlisle Deanery, said: “It’s been wonderful to again see how churches and congregations can come together in such a practical way to support those who are facing terrible hardship.
“As Christians, we are committed to doing all we can to help those who are struggling and need support. As winter sets in, our prayer is that these candles bring heat for the people of Ukraine and represent to them the hope and light that we see in Jesus Christ as together we continue to pray for an end to the war in their country.”