FUNDRAISING efforts in Keighley will bring a smile to the children of an impoverished Ukranian nursery next month.

A toy box collection, a disco and a supper to raise funds for the project have all been staged to raise badly needed funds.

The proceeds of these efforts will now go towards helping children attending the nursery in the village of Verba in the former Russian republic.

Twenty-eight boxes of toys are on their way from Keighley to the Ukranian village after the collection and fundraising spearheaded by Anne Argall and Helen Onyszko, who work at Strong Close Nursery in Thwaites. A concert organised by their colleague Joanna Horton also raised £500 for the Project Ukraine programme.

Anne said: "The boxes should arrive in good time for Helen and I to help the children at Verba nursery school unpack them in May."

Meanwhile, three teenagers have raised more than £200 for the nursery.

Natalie Holden, Emma Brown and Christine Threlfall held two events for Project Ukraine as part of their Duke of Edinburgh awards.

The three pupils raised £140 from a disco and supper held at Airedale Church, Keighley on March 14.

And revellers also helped to fill two boxes with crayons, pencils and colouring books.

More than £60 was raised when the trio sold cakes to friends at school.

Helen said: "We are absolutely overwhelmed by the generosity of everyone, who has supported Anne and myself with this project, especially for the magnificent sum raised by Natalie, Emma and Christine."

The three teenagers heard about the project from dance teacher Mary Eckersley-Fielding, whose son attends Strong Close Nursery.

Following their visit to the Ukraine, Anne and Helen will stage an evening at Laycock village hall to show what happened when the boxes were finally unpacked.