EARLIER this month, more than 1,000 shoeboxes were donated from Basingstoke Rotary clubs to help support Ukrainian children in Ukraine.

There were a total of 1,008 shoeboxes collected by Basingstoke Deane Rotary and Basingstoke Loddon Rotary, with the total number collected by Rotary Wessex District being 20,000.

Deputy Mayor David Leeks and his wife joined the Basingstoke Rotary clubs on Tuesday, November 1 at Test Valley Golf Club to help sort the shoeboxes.

Georgiana Iote, whose father is a Rotarian in Romania, was also invited to help out with sorting the shoeboxes. 

All the boxes have to be sorted to make sure there were no items which should not be sent to the children, such as sweets, liquids, food, medicines battery powered items and war-related items.