A CIRENCESTER shop has teamed up with a group of nuns from Belarus to help raise money for their charitable work.

The nuns from the Monastery of the Sisters of Mercy have made traditional Russian Orthodox Christmas gifts to sell at the Corner Stone café and bookshop in Dollar Street.

The crafts, such as incense burners and handcrafted boxes, will be sold to raise money for a children's hospital, a boarding home and TB clinic for the people of Minsk, the capital of Belarus.

Manager of the Corner Stone, Alison Brown, said: "We were delighted to add their crafts to our Christmas shop and visitors have been keen to buy the unique hand-made gifts. This year has been difficult for the people of Minsk and we were happy to sell these beautiful items."

The Parish Church shop will also be selling the unusual items.

A new Christmas card featuring a view of the Parish Church from the East will be sold from the church shop.

Mrs Brown said: "This year has been challenging for the church shop as there has inevitably been a fall in visitors due to the building works in the Parish Church.

"We are encouraging people to think local first and pop in to the church and Corner Stone to see the unique range of Christmas Cards, Advent Calendars Candles and Gifts - and all profits are given back to the Parish of Cirencester."

All items will also be on sale during the Advent Festival on the November 22.