Ukrainian families living in Rowlands Gill are doing their bit to help their home country - and involving the whole village in their efforts.
Slava and Oleg Shumihin, who have lived in the Gateshead village for nearly three years, have organised weekly sessions in St Barnabas Church Hall to make camouflage nets to send back to their home country to help troops fighting the Russian invasion.
Slava's mother Anhela, 59, is a volunteer with the Territorial Defence Force in Kyiv, and Slava said that the request had come from her mum's group, who are helping to defend Ukraine's capital city. Slava, 36, said: "My mum is on the frontline and this request came from her group of soldiers.
Read more: Teen tells of her life now back home in Ukraine after taking refuge in Rowlands Gill
"It's very hard to be here and not feel like you're a part of the events and this is just one more way how we can help. They will use these nets to cover their positions, where they are based, to make it invisible for Russian drones by covering their tanks and everything else they have."
The couple joined together with several other Ukrainian families who are currently staying near Rowlands Gill to answer Slava's mum's call, and Oleg, 40, said he was amazed at how many people showed up to the first workshop. "We feel it's the least we can do," he said. "We all have families and friends, lots of people we know and love in Ukraine. We make camouflage nets that can cover positions and tranches of Ukrainian army that will help to save lives. They can mask cars and tanks and because of the winter there isn’t enough leaves that can cover and hide Ukrainian soldiers. So it’s very important."
Each 3m (10ft) x 10m (33ft) net is being made in winter colours and will be sent to Ukraine when it is finished. The group has already sent three nets to Slava's mum and have taken the hall for every weekend as a block booking, saying they will make as many nets as are needed.
Slava, an operations manager, and Oleg, an electronic engineer., have spoken of their worry of being more than 2000 miles away from their families as war rages around them in Ukraine, and said they had a worrying five days recently, when Anhela was not in contact for five days. To their relief, they received a call from one of the volunteer group to say the group was OK but would be out of contact for a while.
"She is doing OK," said Slava. "She seems to be in good spirits and says she is keen to celebrate when all Ukrainian territories are free."
Oleg's mother, Tetiana, 62, has also signed up as volunteer with the Territorial Defence Force in the family's home city of Poltava, in central Ukraine.
Oleg and Slava are currently playing host to Slava's 15-year-old brother Daniil Dushaiev, who was unable to stay at home because his mother decided that it was too dangerous. He came to the UK in April with his 13-year-old cousin Kate Kozyrieva, who has since returned home to Ukraine.
Kate, who attended St Thomas More School in Blaydon with Daniil, joined Slava and Oleg in paying tribute to the residents of Rowlands Gill, who they say have welcomed them with open arms.
Slava said: "I have friends, classmates and family caught up in the war. It is just horrific. We just want to do what we can and are trying to give as much practical help as we possibly can. All of our neighbours, friends and colleagues are giving myself and Oleg such great help and I feel incredibly supported by our UK community."
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