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Rotary Shoebox Appeal: Over 1,000 boxes collected
We may be in the middle of a recession, but that didn't stop Peterborough residents defying all expectations in the support of the Telegraph-backed Rotary Shoebox Appeal. Hannah Gray reports on the success of the scheme and what will happen to your boxes.
We may be in the middle of a recession, but that didn't stop Peterborough residents defying all expectations in the support of the Telegraph-backed Rotary Shoebox Appeal. Hannah Gray reports on the success of the scheme and what will happen to your boxes.We asked for your help, and you didn't let us down.
Just last month, the ET started publicising the Rotary Shoebox Appeal for the first time, encouraging our readers to donate toys and household items for some of the poorest people in Eastern Europe.
We thought it would be a big ask, as although the items could be second hand, there was a chance people would have to spend a bit of money at a time when we're all watching every penny.
But in just a few weeks, our readers have done us proud. The flat-pack boxes disappeared from our reception almost faster than we could stock them up.
When they came back they were full of gifts for adults and children alike, and often decorated with wonderful Christmas images and heartfelt messages.
Some families and individuals brought back 10 or more filled boxes.
In total more than 1,000 boxes were collected in Peterborough, and the majority of those came through our offices.
Rotarian Marcus Horrell, who has been coordinating the appeal in the city, was full of praise for our readers.
He said: "A very big thank you to all those who have contributed to the Peterborough Rotary Club and Evening Telegraph 2009 Shoebox Appeal.
"Everybody associated with the project has been overwhelmed by the generosity of the citizens of Peterborough and their help with the appeal.
"In addition to filling the boxes, I was taken aback by the number and tone of some messages and decorations that have been put onto the boxes – many boxes have been beautifully decorated, and often a Christmas message has been added to them.
"I know that the boxes will be gratefully received by the recipients.
"In excess of 1,000 boxes have been taken to the central distribution warehouse, and will very soon be on their way to some of the poorer parts of Eastern Europe, where their contents will bring Christmas cheer and joy to those who will open them."
ET editor Mark Edwards was also delighted with the response.
He said: "We have always known that our readers are generous people but this has surpassed all our expectations. People have donated second-hand items and dug deep to buy new ones, and filled more boxes than we could ever have hoped for.
"We are thrilled that our first year supporting the appeal has been such a success."
From the Rotary central warehouse, the boxes will be loaded onto lorries to be taken across to Eastern Europe where they will be distributed by volunteers and partner organisations in time for the Eastern Orthodox Christmas on January 7.
It is not yet known which country Peterborough's boxes will go to, but wherever they end up, they will be gratefully received.
If you filled a box for children or teenagers, these will go to the residents of children's homes, to street children, to youngsters at schools in impoverished and often rural areas, and to children in hospital.
Your box could also end up being given to a child who lives in a low income family as part of a programme to support families in danger of fragmenting.
We received many boxes filled with household items such as washing up liquid and soap. These are particularly useful and will be given to low income families or to individual adults, especially the elderly.
The ET will report in the New Year on where our readers' boxes ended up, and the impact they have had.
In the meantime, we can approach Christmas knowing we have spread some of the festive spirit to those who need it most.
Gunthorpe children filled 78 boxes with goodies
Gunthorpe Primary School used Children In Need day to show its support for the Rotary Shoebox Appeal. Rather than ask children and parents for financial donations on November 20, staff at the school decided to ask them to all bring in items for the shoeboxes.
Jenny Howlett, deputy head, said: "We saw the article in the ET about the appeal and we thought it was a really good way to combine the two together. We had a whole school assembly and I showed them a box and the kinds of things you can put into them."
The boxes were also a chance for the children to learn about other cultures, and the kind of lives that other children their age live. Jenny said: "I brought in the article from the ET and shared that with them in assembly and talked about some of the people who had benefited from the boxes."
And on the day, the children and their families managed to fill an amazing 78 boxes.
"We had a fantastic response," Jenny said. "The children and obviously their parents were really generous. We will definitely be getting involved again next year."
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