Sunderland schoolgirl uses Christmas present money to buy supplies for Ukraine

Nine-year-old pupil Kaiya Lowery won a Highfield Academy extraordinary achievement award after she spent more than £70 on zip-lock plastic bags and toiletries and other supplies to go in them – then worked every day after school to fill them dozens of them in time for a collection at school.

And she is still going – now mum Samantha Langley is appealing for help from anyone who is able to collect the bags from the family home in Padgate Road, Pennywell, and ensure they are safely delivered to the people who need them.

DEC charities are providing emergency aid to the people of Ukraine - how to donate

Proud Samantha said Kaiya had been moved by the images she had seen on TV, especially of the very young children who have been displaced from their homes as hundreds of thousands of people flee from the Russian invasion of their country.

“She bought loads of zip lock bags with the money that she was given for Christmas,” said Samantha.

"She said she felt really sorry for all the babies that were there and that she really wanted to do something to make the babies happy.

“Then she bought toiletry sample pots off E-bay so she could put lotion and things like that into the bags.

“She made up some women’s sanitary packs and some packs for babies – in fact, she is still making them up.”

'Our thoughts and prayers are with the people of the Ukraine' - see the Sunderland landmarks lit blue and yellow in show of solidarity against Russian invasion

A social media appeal brought in a fantastic response from family and friends: “I put a post on Facebook and asking if people could spare any donations and people were giving us clothes, toiletries, all sorts of things,” said Samantha.

“There have been a lot of people messaging us to go and pick things up and some people even gave money to her as well as she could go out and buy more bags and more things to put in them

“The school has sent them off,so I am going to have to find someone else who is able to take them for us.”

Anyone who is able to help with the remaining bags can contact Samantha on 07561 888 379.

For the latest news and information about the Ukraine invasion click here for NationalWorld coverage.

Support your Echo and become a subscriber today.

Enjoy unlimited access to all of our news and sport, see fewer ads, experience faster load times, test your brain with daily puzzles and get access to exclusive newsletters.

Your support for our journalism means we can continue telling Sunderland’s stories for generations to come. Click here to subscribe - and click here to get a snapshot of the Echo’s news and sport to your inbox through our email newsletters.