Milton Keynes girl, 6, takes aid mission to help Ukrainians

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Madison Mani-Baker outside London Luton Airport
Image caption,

Madison, six, said she was upset to see scenes of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine on TV and wanted to help

A six-year-old girl's dream of an aid mission to help families in Ukraine has taken off.

Madison, from Milton Keynes, said she was upset to see scenes of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine on TV and wanted to start a charity.

With her dad Mark Baker, who works in aviation, she came up with the idea to create Hands Across the Skies, external.

They have collected a "plane load" of donated toys and supplies to be flown to Ukrainian refugees in Bulgaria.

Mr Baker, chief executive of UK Aviation Group Ltd, said: "We were watching the news and we saw children coming out of a bombed out building and Madison's immediate thought was 'what can we do?'.

"Three to four months later, with Madison's wonderful effort, we're able to take our inaugural flight out of Luton into Sofia.

"Her mother and I are very proud of her; what she has achieved is remarkable."

Image caption,

Madison, from Milton Keynes, and her dad Mark Baker boarded Hands Across the Skies' inaugural aid flight from Luton

Image caption,

They are taking aid, including blankets and toys for children, to Bulgaria that will then be transported by road to Ukraine

Mr Baker said the flight was chartered by Hands Across the Skies, a self-financed charitable organisation.

He said they also wanted to use the humanitarian airbridge solution to help families in other countries, including Africa, Syria and Afghanistan.

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