A FERNDOWN charity has donated more than 700 Easter eggs to disadvantaged children. 

Little Lives UK has thanked businesses that helped collect the eggs to donate to disadvantaged youngsters. 

Putting out an appeal, the eggs were given to children on March 20, the international day of happiness. 

Little Lives UK social media manager, Sophie Matthews, said: "We had such a huge interest from lots of local businesses, we had Castlepoint contact us that are considering working with us in the future which shows the whole appeal had such a good knock on effect for the charity. 

"The biggest contributors was from Hyde estate agents who were incredible, they gave us over 300 eggs so that was amazing."

The 700 eggs were donated to nine charities, including three food banks, HomeStart Wessex, Diverse Abilities, Action for children and more. 

One of the charities, Bournemouth Churches Housing Association (BCHA), was able to get eggs to children in domestic abuse and modern slavery families. 

Sophie said: "I think we've done far better than we sort of expected, I would have been happy with 100 eggs but 700 is really amazing.

"That's 700 children that will be smiling at Easter that wouldn't necessarily had access and that's great.

"I spoke to the BCHA who said they eggs would be going to children within domestic abuse families and modern day slavery families so to hear those children in dire situation will have an Easter treat and will make them smile."

Little Lives UK was founded in 2017 by Krisztina Schafler and Frantisek Helmeczy to support organisations that run projects to support vulnerable and disadvantaged children across the country. 

Following the success of the appeal, Sophie has said the charity is looking to create more in the future, including one for hygiene products. 

She said: "There is a real poverty around hygiene and a lot of people are in that situation and it's just awful.

"We're hopefully going to do another really good campaign and get as many hygiene products together and then dish out hampers to the foodbanks."