A COMPASSIONATE couple from Stratford have begun their annual collection of festive shoeboxes for disadvantaged families in Romania.
Malcolm and Anne McCulloch have collected and distributed more than 2,000 shoeboxes full of gifts and essentials for the last seven years to help poverty-stricken families.
The pair have personally travelled twice to help charities based in the Eastern Europe country hand-out the boxes.
The husband and wife said the visits had motivated them to collect more shoeboxes each year.
This is the eighth year the pair – who are members of Stratford Baptist Church – are working alongside charity Amen trust, which distributes the shoeboxes after the pandemic meant last year’s collection was restricted.
The McCullochs said: “It’s been great to see the support received in the Stratford area grow. We have receive lovingly prepared shoebox gifts from many individuals, workplaces, schools, the Women’s Institute, Brownies, Rotary, Slimming World groups and churches.
“Shoebox contents are our everyday items but to these Romanian families living in very basic conditions they are a reminder that someone cares enough to give them the only gift they will receive this Christmas.”
The family shoeboxes should include items for parents and children such as toiletries, notebooks, small gifts, sewing kits, sweets, socks, gloves and jewellery.
The couple are also collecting blankets this year.
Shoeboxes need to be donated by Sunday November 7.
Email [email protected] or call 01789 294908 for more details.
