CHILDREN in Eastern European countries will have a happier Christmas thanks to the kindness of people from Winchester.
Winchester Rotary Club has sent 35 cartons full of 561 shoeboxes full of goodies to children in countries such as Albania, Moldova, Montenegro, Romania and Ukraine as part of its annual Christmas Shoebox Appeal.
The shoeboxes, as well as another four cartons of locally knitted jumpers, were delivered to the Rotary District Depot at Bournemouth Airport on November 12.
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Colin Cook, who has organised the shoebox appeal for Winchester Rotary for several years, said: “We are very grateful to everyone who contributed this year. We now have seven local schools participating and an increase in the number of private donors. We are particularly pleased that this year the gifts will also be reaching children in Ukraine”.
The shoeboxes came from a number of local schools, including St. Bede’s, Compton All Saints, St. Faith’s CE, Western, Weeke and Kings Worthy primary schools, and Henry Beaufort School. There was also increased support from new donors.
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The knitted jumpers were donated by Hilary Dunwoody from Alresford Lace Makers, Four Marks WI and Kings Somborne Committee and their friends.
The schools donated 400 of the 561 boxes, with the rest from private donors.
Winchester’s shoeboxes join more than 18,000 others from 50 clubs from the Wessex region.
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