The Rotary Club of Rushen & Western Mann has sent 95 Rotary shoeboxes to the Rotary Shoebox Scheme charity, where they will be transported to Eastern Europe and distributed to people in need by local Rotary clubs.

The shoeboxes were prepared with the support of residents across the Isle of Man, who contributed items to help fill each box, while Manx Independent Carriers assisted by arranging transportation off the island and enabling the boxes to reach the charity’s wider distribution network.

The Rotary Shoebox Scheme was established in 1994 by Rotary clubs in the north-west of England, with its original aim being to provide Christmas gifts for children in the city of Iași, in north-east Romania.

Over the past three decades, the initiative has expanded into a national project supported by Rotary clubs and a wide range of contributors, including individuals, schools, businesses, churches, and affiliated organisations such as Inner Wheel, Rotaract and Interact.

The scheme sends approximately 30,000 shoeboxes each year. Unlike many seasonal initiatives, the Rotary Shoebox Scheme operates throughout the year, allowing aid to be delivered when it is most needed rather than only during the Christmas period.

Shoeboxes are distributed to recipients of all ages across several countries in Central and Eastern Europe, including Romania, Albania, Ukraine and Moldova.

Beneficiaries include children and teenagers in orphanages and hospitals, young people living on the streets, adults in tuberculosis and AIDS hospitals, disadvantaged families, women’s refuges, and older people living in hostels without family support.

A spokesperson from the Rotary Club commented: ‘A big thank you to everyone on the Isle of Man who helped to fill the shoeboxes and Manx Independent Carriers for arranging to transport them off the island.’