Contacts

Helen Ricketts: – helen@highpathway.co.uk

Paul Temple:- tempaul45@gmail.com

 

Rotary Christmas Shoebox Appeal

We Need Your Help!
You can make a child happy with a shoebox of goodies

There are many local people and children who know its great fun to get involved putting together a shoebox. Huge thanks to them for their support over the years.

Get your workplace, church, club, your school, Scout, Cubs, Brownie & Guide groups, your children, grandchildren or just you involved? It’s good to make Christmas time special for these children who don’t have a lot, and spread a little joy.

We have been told by recipients of shoeboxes, who have now grown up, of the excitement with which they were opened and what treasured memories they have of that special gift. Remember that recipients will be opening the box in eager anticipation of finding it full of toys and useful items, possibly the first gifts they have received. 

New For This Year

The appeal has changed this year and should hopefully make it easier and fairer for all the children receiving a box. Finding shoeboxes has become difficult and sizes vary so much that our Rotary District has taken the decision to supply a regular sized Shoe Box to make it easier for those filling the boxes and fairer for those children receiving the boxes overseas. The new box of uniform size will fit into the bigger transportation boxes more economically thus reducing transportation costs overseas.

The new boxes will cost £2 per item which is a lot more realistic than some of the prices for similar appeals. We can supply the boxes to you when you require them as flat packs, so will need a bit of assembling to start with, but can still be wrapped in Christmas paper or decorated with coloured pens. We can supply you with as many boxes as you require. In the first instance boxes can be picked up from the venues listed below.
Unsurprisingly our transport/fuel costs have increased considerably this year and we would ask that £2 be attached to each box please, to help cover this cost.

The forms to attach to your shoebox, further info and updates, will be found on our website and on Social media.

Boxes for either Boys or Girls, ages, 1-3, 4-7, 8-11, 12-15

Just use elastic bands to secure your box, with the label (cut off the form), so it can be checked by customs.

Ideas below of what can you put in your box, things for:

• • Playing – ball, skipping rope, small games, cards, dominoes, harmonicas/recorders, cars, small toys, Cuddly toy
  • Washing – soap, toothbrush
  • Writing – pens, pencils, sharpener, notebook, colouring book, puzzle book
  • Wearing – hat, gloves, scarf, socks, hair accessories, jewellery. Items need to be new or in good/as new condition.

Please – No liquids, sharp items, guns or war toys.

Where?

Pick up your new boxes and Drop off your filled box at the venues below by 21^st October 2022

• • Eden Mazda Basingstoke, London Road, Old Basing, Basingstoke, Hampshire, RG24 7JD
  • Oakley Carpets, Station Yard, Andover Road, Basingstoke RG23 7HA
  • Parnell, Jordy & Harvey, Estate Agent, 5 Winchester Street, Overton, RG25 3HR
  • Build-A-Bear Workshop, Unit 17A Festival Place, Basingstoke

 

To make sure boxes don’t go astray, Rotarians supervise the whole process, including volunteers going to the countries to make sure the boxes get to the children they are intended for.

Christmas Shoeboxes go to Romania, Albania, Montenegro and Moldova. Some boxes may well go to Ukrainian refugees/displaced children in these countries.