The search is on for families in Hertfordshire who received CARE packages at the end of the Second World War to come forward and tell their stories.

The CARE packages supplied families across Europe with food and basic supplies to recover and rebuild after the War.

This year, as Britain celebrates 70 years since the end of the Second World War, the charity CARE is launching a search to find the recipients of the original CARE packages sent by people in the USA to thousands of British families in the aftermath of the war.

Laurie Lee, chief executive of CARE International UK, said: "Many of those recipients, though some only children at the time, will remember receiving their CARE package."

After the war ended, Europe was in ruins and food was in short supply. In the first year after VE day, CARE distributed more than three million CARE packages across Europe – including to many thousands of British families, schools and hospitals. Some 100 million CARE packages reached people in need during the next two decades, first in Europe and later in Asia and other parts of the developing world.

Mr Lee added: "People are surprised to hear that British people were among the first to receive international aid – and in a climate of scepticism and aid fatigue it’s good to remember that for this aid organisation, charity did begin at home.

"The images and quotes at the time from those who received CARE packages in Britain are hugely heart-warming. They simply could not believe that in their hour of need, someone on the other side of the world, often a stranger, had reached out to help them."

To share a story visit Care's website or call 0800 320 2233.