The annual shoebox appeal is back and the Rotary Guernesiais Shoebox Collection Centre opens this Saturday at the offices of Breton in the Braye Road Industrial Estate.
The charity is asking islanders to fill a shoebox wrapped in Christmas wrapping paper, to provide a gift to children in need this festive season.
‘This will probably be the only present these children will get this year,’ said Rotary Guernesiais’ shoebox appeal organiser Hannah Laidlow.
‘A lot of them live in orphanages. Some go back to a sort of home at the weekend – distant family probably, not parents – and they won’t even get anything to eat until they’re back again on Monday.
‘We went to Romania to see the boxes get delivered one year which was wonderful and very moving.
‘While there, we met a waitress one night at a local restaurant who said she had received a shoebox when she was little, and could still remember everything that was in it.’
From teddy bears, Lego, crayons and books, to socks, scarves, toothbrushes and soap – leaflets can be found at both Fletcher Sports shops, Beekers on The Bridge, and at the collection centre, which list all the treasures that international customs will allow this year, as well as other instructions.
Rotary Guernesiais has taken part in the shoebox appeal for more than 20 years and last year received 5,717 boxes. It is looking for 6,000 this year. It will be collecting until next Saturday, 25 October.
The club will then send the festive boxes to the UK via Channel Seaways – which delivers them for free – and from there they will be sent on to Moldova, Montenegro, Romania and Ukraine via Poland. The charity asks islanders to tape £1.50 on top of each box to cover transportation and administration costs.
Anyone keen to find out more can visit www.rotary.org.gg or send an email to shoeboxes@rotary.org.gg.
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