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The couple who deliver Christmas boxes to Ukraine

BBC Jeanette and Craig are sat on a red sofa. Jeanette is wearing a green top and cardigan and dark trousers. Crag is wearing dark rimmed glasses, a black t-shirt and green trousers.BBC
Jeanette and Craig Rice have filled their Macclesfield home with shoeboxes

A couple who stack their home full of Christmas gifts and supplies to send to orphans in Ukraine have said they will continue even after the war ends.

For the past two years Jeanette and Craig Rice from Macclesfield in Cheshire have gathered and delivered shoeboxes full of gifts for the children affected by the conflict with Russia.

"Last year we did over 1,150 so we're hoping this year we can beat that target," Mrs Rice said.

"We took our van went to the orphanages and delivered the shoeboxes to the children ourselves, which was a bit heartbreaking, but it was good to take them over," she said.

Mrs Rice is stood in her home surrounded by hundreds of shoe boxes wrapped in red and white Christmas wrapping paper
Mrs Rice said she hoped to top last year's delivery of 1,150 boxes

A typical box includes a range of items from treats to essentials.

"We try and ask people to put stationery in, and chocolates, some toiletries, maybe even some socks," Mrs Rice said.

"It's getting cold over there now. So we just try and fill it with as much as possible.

“Apart from the shoe boxes and things like that, we send lots of winter clothes over, lots of bedding duvets. You name it, we send it."

Jeanette and Craig Rice Jeanette and Craig Rice stood in front of a sign for Ukraine with two women and a man.Jeanette and Craig Rice
The couple also take winter supplies to Ukraine for local people
Handout Jeanette Rice stands to greet four children in Ukraine. All are wearing winter jackets and three of the children are holding Christmas boxes. Handout
Mrs Rice said visiting an orphanage in Ukraine was "heartbreaking"

The couple said winter was a stark reminder of how things could get even worse for those already suffering in Ukraine.

"We went over to Lviv in October and it was absolutely freezing," Mr Rice added.

The couple said they would continue send the Christmas shoeboxes in the coming years.

"If the war has ended then there's still going to be a lot of children that are in orphanages, so I'll definitely be doing it again next year," Mrs Rice said.

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