Last Christmas some of the most disadvantaged children in Montenegro Tanzania and Romania received a shoebox full of personal gifts thanks to students of local schools and through Churches Together in Alresford. To see the joy that these boxes collected by The Rotary Club of Alresford (and some 26,000 others collected in the remainder of the Rotary District) have a look at http://www.rotary1110shoeboxes.org.uk/

Last year the number of boxes collected by the Rotary Club of Alresford doubled the number collected in 2007 and this year its target is to collect at least 1000 boxes but that will only be possible with your involvement. All local primary schools and Perins have been invited to involve their students in this scheme and those that are involved will be passing on details to their students at the beginning of next term.

But this is not just something just done by for the local schools and Churches together in Alresford. It is something for the entire community to involve itself in so if you as individual or as a member of a pre-school, youth group, community group or whatever want to be involved please contact James Pinniger by email at jamespinniger@btinternet.com to register your interest. James will give you further information and the relevant scheme leaflet, which incorporates a label to stick on the box identifying the gender and age of the intended recipient.

Last year there were relatively few boxes for children in the upper age range of 12 -15 and we would like more boxes this year to cover that age group.

Health, safety, customs and other regulations mean that boxes must not exceed a specific size and cannot include specific items. Full particulars are included in the scheme leaflet. Although Christmas is many months away boxes must be packed by the end of October to allow time for them to be transported and distributed.

The Rotary Club hope you will feel able to make this the most successful shoebox appeal ever in the area and thank you in anticipation of your generosity. If you’re interested in learning more about Rotary or in joining us please email mail@alresfordrotary.co.uk