JUST three days remain of this year’s Rotary shoebox appeal to gather in Christmas presents for underprivileged children.

Hats, games, colouring pencils and small cuddly toys are just some ideas for gifts that residents, schools, businesses and other organisations could pack up into a shoebox to be shipped to children living in poverty.

The appeal by the Rotary Clubs of Basingstoke ends on Friday to give members of Basingstoke Deane, Basingstoke Loddon and Basingstoke Rotary Clubs time to collect, sort, ship and deliver the gifts to children in Tanzania, Montenegro and Romania in time for Christmas.

Rod Clarke, a member of the Basingstoke Deane club, said: “This year’s campaign is going well but we are still hoping to get a lot more boxes to deliver to the children. It is wonderful to see the delight on their faces when we deliver them.”

There are drop-off points across the borough, or for larger donations of boxes, a pick-up can be arranged.

During this year’s appeal, members of Basingstoke Deane Rotary Club spent a Saturday in Festival Place shopping centre and raised more than £825 to put together boxes of gifts on behalf of shoppers.

The Rotary Clubs are also encouraging staff, pupils and parents at north Hampshire schools to put together boxes. More information is available by emailing basingstoke@rotary1110.org.uk.

Guides and Scouts groups can also take part, and anyone interested should contact Colin Hall on colin@colmid.fsnet.co.uk for more details of the appeal.

To put together a box, readers should fill a shoebox with a range of gifts – such as gloves, scarves, games, a hairbrush – and specify on the wrapped box whether it is for a boy or girl and what age group, from one to 15.

Donors should not pack food, medicines, liquids, sharp or fragile items, battery-powered items, anything related to war (like toy guns or soldiers) or any political or religious materials.

The lid and box need to be wrapped up separately and people are asked, if possible, to attach £1 to the top of each box to go towards travel costs.
- Readers can drop off their boxes between 9am and 5pm at Gazette Newspapers, in Pelton Road, Basingstoke, Alan Gibson Volvo, in Brunel Road, Basingstoke or at Alan Gibson Mazda, on the A30 at Old Basing.

More information on the appeal can be found at therotaryclub.eu.