SHOPPERS who want to bring joy to poor children can "buy" shoeboxes filled with Christmas gifts this weekend.

Members of the borough's three Rotary clubs will be in Porchester Square in Basingstoke's Festival Place shopping centre on the next two Saturdays, from 9am to 6pm, selling shoeboxes to shoppers as part of the their 2008 Christmas Shoebox Appeal.

The three clubs have teamed up under the banner All For One & One For All for a series of community projects.

Shoppers who want to donate a box but do not have time to fill one themselves will be able to pay £16 to fill a box or £8 to half-fill one and £4 to quarter-fill one.

The Rotarians will provide the shoebox and fill, wrap and deliver it to children in Eastern Europe and Africa.

Alistair Cheyne, president of the Rotary Club of Basingstoke, said: "It's our opportunity to do something for these kids. When they get the shoeboxes and open them, they cry about things like getting toothpaste, just because they have never had it before.

"Pencils and crayons are important but the reaction to little hygiene things is amazing, and what is that to us?"

He added that his club collected more than 1,000 boxes in 2007, so it wants to fill between 3,000 and 5,000 this year in a joint effort with Basingstoke Deane and Basingstoke Loddon Rotary clubs, and Gazette Newspapers.

The scheme has already been launched in Basingstoke schools, with a £100 incentive for the infant, junior and senior school that donates the most boxes per pupil, and an additional £250 for the school which donates the most boxes overall.

Rainbows, Brownies and Guides, as well as Beavers, Cubs and Scouts, are getting the same incentives.

Members of the public can also make up their own boxes and take them to a designated drop-off point, including a £1 donation for each box to cover transport costs.

Shoeboxes must have labels stating if gifts are for a girl or boy and the age group.

Further advice and labels can be found at www.therotaryclub.eu and boxes can be left between 9am and 5pm, Monday to Friday, at Gazette Newspapers, in Pelton Road, Basingstoke, Alan Gibson Volvo, in Brunel Road, Basingstoke, Planning Lighting Maintenance, Royston House, Andover Road, Whitchurch, or Alan Gibson Fiat, A30, Old Basing.

The Rotary clubs are also working together on other projects, including a fashion show in Porchester Square, Festival Place, on October 9, to raise money to support Rotary charities and local youth activities.

Tickets for this cost £25 and are available by calling 01256 897520 or e-mailing roys@roystan.co.uk