{"id":56020,"date":"2026-01-20T02:00:05","date_gmt":"2026-01-20T07:00:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/world\/used-candles-turned-into-stoves-for-ukraine\/20\/01\/2026\/"},"modified":"2026-01-20T02:00:05","modified_gmt":"2026-01-20T07:00:05","slug":"used-candles-turned-into-stoves-for-ukraine","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/world\/used-candles-turned-into-stoves-for-ukraine\/20\/01\/2026\/","title":{"rendered":"Used candles turned into stoves for Ukraine"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>\n<\/p>\n<div data-article-body=\"true\">\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">A retired silversmith has spent 18 months supplying thousands of candles to war damaged areas of Ukraine.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Mark Stevens from Ludlow, Shropshire, collects the candles from churches and shops and uses the candle wax to make temporary stoves for the military and civilians.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">He said many communities in the country had electricity and heating cut off so the candles played an important role and could be used in shelters.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">&#8220;It&#8217;s the idea of being in a cold dark space with no light, no heat and it&#8217;s something very simple,&#8221; he said.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"relative mb-4\">\n<div class=\"relative\"><button aria-label=\"View larger image\" class=\"group absolute bottom-0 size-full\" data-ylk=\"elm:expand;itc:1;sec:image-lightbox;slk:lightbox-open;\"><span class=\"absolute bottom-3 right-3 rounded-full bg-white p-3 opacity-100 shadow-elevation-3 transition-opacity duration-300 group-hover:block group-hover:opacity-100 md:p-[17px] lg:bottom-6 lg:right-6 lg:bg-white\/90 lg:p-5 lg:opacity-0 lg:shadow-none\"><svg viewbox=\"0 0 22 22\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"size-4 lg:size-6\" width=\"22\" height=\"22\"><path d=\"M12.372.92c0-.506.41-.916.915-.916L21 0l-.004 7.712a.917.917 0 0 1-1.832 0V3.183l-6.827 6.828-1.349-1.348 6.828-6.828h-4.529a.915.915 0 0 1-.915-.915M1.835 17.816l6.828-6.828 1.349 1.349-6.829 6.827h4.529a.915.915 0 0 1 0 1.831L0 21l.004-7.713a.916.916 0 0 1 1.831 0z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/button><dialog aria-label=\"Modal Dialog\" aria-modal=\"true\" class=\"fixed bottom-0 left-0 right-0 top-0 z-4 size-full max-h-none max-w-none bg-white hidden\"\/><\/div><figcaption class=\"relative text-sm mt-1 pr-2.5\">\n<p>Stevens uses the candles to make temporary stoves which are then distributed to Ukraine [BBC]<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">&#8220;People are throwing away candles every day so it&#8217;s good recycling.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Stevens has collected an estimated thousand kilos of used candles from cathedrals, churches and charity shops, so he can personally deliver them to the frontline.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">He has travelled to Ukraine four times so far and also sends the candles and cookers to the country via a charity.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">&#8220;This would heat a room,&#8221; he said of one of the candles.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">&#8220;It could be used in a shelter somewhere.&#8221;<\/p>\n<figure class=\"relative mb-4\">\n<div class=\"relative\"><img alt=\"Dozens of candles in different colours fill a few boxes in a church.\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"1\" class=\"rounded-lg\" style=\"color:transparent\" src=\"https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/ny\/api\/res\/1.2\/3f_lEKcObw1Z.30tlhbvQA--\/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTU0MDtjZj13ZWJw\/https:\/\/media.zenfs.com\/en\/bbc_us_articles_995\/8b7b1714705c080f2715db11db4e4185\"\/><button aria-label=\"View larger image\" class=\"group absolute bottom-0 size-full\" data-ylk=\"elm:expand;itc:1;sec:image-lightbox;slk:lightbox-open;\"><span class=\"absolute bottom-3 right-3 rounded-full bg-white p-3 opacity-100 shadow-elevation-3 transition-opacity duration-300 group-hover:block group-hover:opacity-100 md:p-[17px] lg:bottom-6 lg:right-6 lg:bg-white\/90 lg:p-5 lg:opacity-0 lg:shadow-none\"><svg viewbox=\"0 0 22 22\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"size-4 lg:size-6\" width=\"22\" height=\"22\"><path d=\"M12.372.92c0-.506.41-.916.915-.916L21 0l-.004 7.712a.917.917 0 0 1-1.832 0V3.183l-6.827 6.828-1.349-1.348 6.828-6.828h-4.529a.915.915 0 0 1-.915-.915M1.835 17.816l6.828-6.828 1.349 1.349-6.829 6.827h4.529a.915.915 0 0 1 0 1.831L0 21l.004-7.713a.916.916 0 0 1 1.831 0z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/button><dialog aria-label=\"Modal Dialog\" aria-modal=\"true\" class=\"fixed bottom-0 left-0 right-0 top-0 z-4 size-full max-h-none max-w-none bg-white hidden\"\/><\/div><figcaption class=\"relative text-sm mt-1 pr-2.5\">\n<p>The candles are collected from charity shops, cathedrals and churches [BBC]<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Stephens also supplies generators and even vehicles to the Ukrainians.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">&#8220;It&#8217;s easy to ignore what&#8217;s going on on our doorstep and the destruction and the waste and the environmental hazard that is being created by a war,&#8221; he said.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Church warden Lesley Harling said: &#8220;I think it&#8217;s amazing. Apart from anything else, the sheer amount of work that goes into it.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Many Ukrainian refugees live in Ludlow, with three of them working at the cafe at St Laurence&#8217;s Church.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">&#8220;I really appreciate his work,&#8221; said Yuliia Shapoval.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">&#8220;People need to feel like&#8230; somebody wants to help them.&#8221;<\/p>\n<figure class=\"relative mb-4\">\n<div class=\"relative\"><img alt=\"A woman with brown hair and wearing a grey and white jacket stands in a church. A stone wall and trays of pastries can be seen behind her, as well as signs for the coffee shop.\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"639\" height=\"359\" decoding=\"async\" data-nimg=\"1\" class=\"rounded-lg\" style=\"color:transparent\" src=\"https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/ny\/api\/res\/1.2\/TBmYoNNuy1CIiYrENPrhjw--\/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTUzOTtjZj13ZWJw\/https:\/\/media.zenfs.com\/en\/bbc_us_articles_995\/5240fd969bfb46a9b366786f3f9aee16\"\/><\/div><figcaption class=\"relative text-sm mt-1 pr-2.5\">\n<p>Yuliia Shapoval said she appreciated Mark Stevens&#8217; work [BBC]<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\"><em>Follow BBC Shropshire on <\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bbc.co.uk\/sounds\/curation\/p0cjdy99?xtor=AL-72-%5Bpartner%5D-%5Byahoo.north.america%5D-%5Blink%5D-%5Bnews%5D-%5Bbizdev%5D-%5Bisapi%5D\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:BBC Sounds;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \"><em>BBC Sounds<\/em><\/a><em>, <\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/bbcshropshire\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:Facebook;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \"><em>Facebook<\/em><\/a><em>, <\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/BBCShropshire\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:X;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \"><em>X<\/em><\/a><em> and <\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/bbcshropshire\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:Instagram;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \"><em>Instagram<\/em><\/a><em>. <\/em><\/p>\n<h2 class=\"mb-4 text-xl font-bold md:text-2xl\">More on this story<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<p><script async src=\"\/\/www.instagram.com\/embed.js\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.yahoo.com\/news\/articles\/used-candles-turned-stoves-ukraine-062959593.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A retired silversmith has spent 18 months supplying thousands of candles to war damaged areas of Ukraine. Mark Stevens from Ludlow, Shropshire,<br \/><button class=\"read-more\"><a href=\"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/world\/used-candles-turned-into-stoves-for-ukraine\/20\/01\/2026\/\">Read More &rsaquo;<\/a><\/button><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":56021,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/os\/en\/bbc_us_articles_995\/4c06fc1a0b9fac4d4fce2caf4a5c7c86","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/56020"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=56020"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/56020\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/56021"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=56020"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=56020"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/newssprinters.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=56020"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}