A YOUNG boy melted the hearts of his church congregation by telling them of his plans to help war-torn Ukrainian children.

Kind-hearted Monty Battrick, six, is sending Christmas gifts by aid convoy to support a special rehabilitation centre supporting children physically and emotionally who have been displaced and harmed by the Russian invasion.

Monty addressed members of the church to tell them how he planned to make Christmas special for children whose lives and families have been torn apart by war and asked them to help him.

The idea appealed to churchgoers who responded by donating larger numbers of chocolate Santas, toys and more practical items at a donation point in St Andrew’s Church which he attends with a children’s church group linked to Buckland Monachorum’s St Andrew’s School where he is a pupil.

The aid was due to leave Milton Combe this week to be taken to the Malyatko centre by the Milton Combe-based charity Nightingales UK which sends medical aid and four-wheel drive vehicles to the front line to act as ambulances.

Monty’s dad Nick said: “Monty is very empathetic and he feels strongly about fairness and if people are in need of help. The Sunday School group held a short service about Ukraine.

“So, people at the church were very moved when he stood up in front of them and he told about how children in Ukraine need help because their homes and schools have been hit by war. His appeal obviously worked because lots of items have been donated at the church to be taken by the charity on their next trip.”

Monty said: “I want the children in Ukraine to have Christmas presents, but the postman can’t deliver because of the war and people can’t shop because of the war. So, I asked for people from my church to help. They gave me some soap and wet wipes and fluffy toys. And my granny gave me some money to buy things to take.”

Monty is supporting Nightingales UK Christmas appeal for the Transcarpathian Regional Children’s Rehabilitationcentre Malyatko in Onokivtsi at Uzhhorod which is the only one in the region offering 24-hour inpatient health care facility. They host children from the front line providing them with psychological and physical treatments and social events. The centre continues its specialism of therapy for children with disabilities and autism.

Uzhhorod’s population has significantly increased since the war started, with tens of thousands of internally displaced people who have found shelter there and arrived with nothing but their lives. As the war goes on, the number of displaced children continues to increase, needing support on all levels.

Nightingales UK met with centre doctors on its October aid trip who told them they lacked equipment and supplies due to the war and launched its appeal to support these children. Denise Ullman of Nightingales UK said: “We have been asking people to help us to spread joy and foster hope to these innocent children.”