ROTARY clubs from across Hampshire, Wiltshire, East Dorset, the Isle of Wight and the Channel Islands have collected 18,670 Christmas gift boxes.

Families from the Wessex region have donated gifts to the 45 Rotary Clubs to fill the boxes, which are being stored in Boscombe before they’re sent off to children in Eastern Europe who would otherwise receive very little for Christmas.

Those children will be in orphanages, special schools and underprivileged homes in Moldova, Romania, Poland and Montenegro as well as Ukraine. 

Andover Advertiser: Some of the Rotary shoebox recipientsSome of the Rotary shoebox recipients (Image: Rotary)

Many of the Christmas gift boxes will be delivered to children who are refugees from the war in Ukraine and some of those boxes have been gifted by refugees from Ukraine living in Hampshire.

Other children receiving Christmas shoeboxes include those living in orphanages, attending special schools and underprivileged homes in Moldova, Romania, Poland and Montenegro.

The Rotarians in Wessex are now thanking all the donators and the companies such as Profreight in Portsmouth, Channel Seaways in Poole, Meachers Global Logistics in Southampton, Bulpitt Print in Andover, Whites in Botley, Britannia Removals in Hurn and Silver Crane in Boscombe which helped keep costs down.