VOLUNTEERS who delivered present-filled shoeboxes to poor Romanian children have launched another charity project.
Local people involved in brightening the Christmasses of more than 8,000 children are on a mission to get the same Eastern European youngsters a good education with the help of a new child sponsorship project in Grange-over-Sands.
It is being backed by partner Nicu Gal, president of Romania’s People to People charity.
“He wanted to thank personally all those who had helped with the shoebox campaign,” said Boxes of Hope’s Rosemary Webster.
“We also launched our child sponsorship project in partnership with People to People.”
She said the project aims to give an education to 175 children through sponsorship of £25 a month to pay for the teacher, educational materials and a hot meal and hot showers for children.
The group who travelled to Romania to deliver shoeboxes last year saw how schools had already transformed lives in some villages.
“The children were clean, bright-eyed and outgoing in comparison to children in other villages with no school, who often had blank faces and didn't know how to play or react to gifts,” said Rosemary.
To get involved, visit the website at www.boxesofhope cumbria.co.uk
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