Take part in Rotary's annual Shoebox Appeal

Thanks to your generosity last year, these shoeboxes were sent to two young girls in Romania earlier this year.

The annual Rotary Shoebox Appeal helps to put a smile on the face of an individual who may have never received a gift in their life before.

This scheme began in 1994, and was aimed to provide a child with a gift for Christmas - but now the boxes are used to give a person a gift at any time of the year.

In addition to Romania, shoebox gifts have been delivered to Belarus, Ukraine, Bulgaria, Albania, Croatia and Kosovo.

The boxes are delivered to orphanages, hospitals and also to street kids as well as to disadvantaged families and women’s refuges. Plus some boxes are given to the elderly in hostels who have no supporting family.

Just this year alone, the Rotary Club confirmed more than 34,000 boxes were delivered to people in Eastern Europe, and this is all thanks to your support and generosity.

To fill your boxes, there are four categories to choose from: toys, teenager, baby or household.

Unsure on what to put in your box? Well here are some suggestions for you in each of the four categories.

For the toy box, you can fill it with small cars, bouncy balls, jigsaws, lego blocks or yo-yos. Or why not choose a game, skipping rope or cuddly toy.

For the teenage box you could choose from sportswear or memorabilia, writing materials, playing cards, or make up, a hair brush and either jewellery, pens and pencils.

In the household goods box, you could fill it with wrapped soap, toothpaste, shampoo, scissors, writing pads and pens, as well as face cream and bandages.

Finally in the baby box, (up to 12 months), you could pop in baby wipes, cotton wool, shampoo or talcum powder as well as a baby grow, blanket or small soft toy.

Simply pick up a box from our newspaper office, fill it with good quality items, state on the box which category it is catering for and then return the box to us here at the Leader for collection.

It is also asked that you please attached a £2 onto the box. This helps the Rotary Club with delivery costs overseas, so the individuals in Eastern Europe can receive their box.

You can pick up a Rotary shoebox from our office at: Fairfield Enterprise Centre, Lincoln Way, Louth, LN11 0LS, anytime between 9am-5pm, Monday to Friday. Please remember your £2 coin to cover transport costs. The final date for the filled boxes to be dropped off at our office is 5pm on Friday, November 16.

For further information about the Rotary Shoebox Appeal, please visit: www.rotaryshoebox.org.