A wax manufacturing company based in Chorley has donated five tonnes of wax to Ukraine to make candles for villages with no electricity and the trenches in the war-torn country.

Severe power outages are being inflicted onto Ukrainians, plunging civilians into cold and darkness during the winter and Christmas period, where temperatures will often sit around freezing.

To help the country cope, Kerax, the wax blending, manufacturing and supplying company based on Moorland Gate Business Park, Chorley, have made a generous five tonne donation of Kerasoy container wax which will be used to produce around 25,000 candles.

Last Tuesday (December 13), a humanitarian aid lorry collected the £15,000 worth of wax donated from Kerax and set off to transport the stock around 50 kilometres from the Poland-Ukraine border.

The wax will be used to make candles to provide light for villages with no power as well as candles for people in the trenches.

John Appleton, sales director at Kerax said: “We wanted to play a part in helping and supporting the people on the ground and the families with the tragedy that’s happening.

"With being a global wax blending and supplier, we wanted to offer something, so we jumped at the opportunity to help.

“It’s important for us as a business to demonstrate and show our support to the people of Ukraine so I think it’s a great opportunity for UK companies to support however they can, especially this time of year to provide the basic necessities.”

Once the lorry arrives, the candles will be distributed by community groups in Ukraine and will help thousands of civilians living with no electricity and warmth.

The company is working Ivan Kuzio who operates ‘Ukrainians in Calderdale’ community group in Calderdale and has organised the transport of the delivery to Ukraine.

Ivan contacted ‘Invest in Ukraine’ who help deliver frontline aid to Lviv Regional Children’s Specialized Clinical Hospital – a children’s hospital in Ukraine to work together on the project.

Invest in Ukraine has sent trailers with pallets of medical aid including blast bandages, industrial water filters and celox - a haemostat used to stop eternal bleeding from gunshot injuries, to the hospital.

Ivan said: “I informed the Invest in Ukraine group, and they are set to organise a team to make trench candles.

"These are for both civilians in destroyed housing and those on the front line. They are extremely effective in keeping a place warm.

“Normally lorries are unloaded around 50 kilometres from the Polish Ukrainian border. The Ukrainians come with an empty trailer and load. This is safer easier and quicker as the Ukrainians have special passes to cross the border. This is prearranged once we know the wagon has crossed the German-Polish border.”

The wax delivery is expected to arrive in Ukraine soon and will be ready for making and distribution across the country.