UKRAINIAN soldiers defending their country from Russian attack could soon be protected by camouflage helmet covers made in Settle.

More than a dozen covers were made by volunteers at an initial session hosted by the town’s Victoria Hall and these have now been sent to Lviv for use on the frontline.

It is hoped that further covers will follow.

Around 30 volunteers joined in the Victoria Hall session that was organised by the Settle Supports Ukraine group.

The group was set up in 2022 following the full scale invasion of Ukraine and members have helped support a number of refugees, among them Kateryna and her daughter Viktoria.

They have been sponsored in Giggleswick for the past two years and were among the local crafters helping tie strips of camouflage cloth to frames of netting in order to produce helmet size covers.

Also joining the group were Paul and Rasa, who is originally from Lithuania. They live on the outskirts of Lancaster and have been helping support Ukraine in a variety of ways. They joined the Settle session after seeing a post on facebook.

Alison Marshall, from Settle, came up with the idea of making helmet coverings after travelling to Lviv as a volunteer.

While she was there, in addition to other projects, she joined in camouflage net making.

That work usually focussed on creating large scale covers to hide troop emplacements and weapons. But after she returned home to Settle, she like other former volunteers, was asked if they could continue their work through organising local manufacture of helmet covers.

These are particularly important as they help to hide troops as they move across open ground.

Initially, Alison and friends constructed wooden frames, to a design supplied from Ukraine, and covered them with netting.

They then managed to locally source camouflage materials that met the Ukrainian requirement for light non –flammable cloth.

The next task was to cut the material into small strips that could be tied onto the netting by volunteers working in small groups and to make some sample covers before setting up the group session.

" It’s a bit like making rag rugs," one of the crafters said.

Following the success of this initial venture the group will be continuing the work either individually or in a further mass session. Some individuals will work on the frames at home.

Volunteers wishing to join the project can contact Alison at alison.marshall5@gmail.com. To find out more about Settle Area Refugee Support, which includes Settle Supports Ukraine, contact actionsettlerefugees@gmail.com.