TWO PUPILS in Year 4 at St Ives School in Haslemere have been raising money for the Disasters Emergency Committee Ukraine Appeal by selling sunflower seeds at St Ives and in shops, cafés and doctors’ surgeries in Haslemere and Grayshott.

Milly Duggin and Penelope Crane-Baker were moved to action after watching the news and learning about the war in Ukraine at school.

Knowing the sunflower is the national flower of Ukraine, they decided to sell the seeds from the sunflowers growing in Penelope’s garden to friends at school and within the local community.

The girls sorted the seeds into home-made envelopes and distributed them around Haslemere and Grayshott in shops, cafes and doctors’ surgeries and at St Ives, selling them for £3 an envelope.

In the space of two weeks, the girls have raised just over £650 and have now sent the money off to the Disasters Emergency Committee.

St Ives School has also been involved with the Petworth Ukraine Appeal and asked its families to donate from a list of much-needed items to be sent to Ukraine.

The school’s families donated with huge generosity and the school filled two vans of supplies which are now on their way to Ukraine.

Kay Goldsworthy, headteacher at St Ives School, said: “I am very proud of the way the school community has responded to the plight of the Ukrainians and the generosity they have shown.

“I am especially proud of Milly and Penelope for using their initiative to come up with such a wonderful idea to raise much-needed funds for the DEC Ukraine Appeal – not only have they raised more than £650 but they have encouraged many local families to plant sunflowers in their gardens in solidarity with Ukraine.”