A CHARITY known for its Christmas shoebox appeal is now calling for something a little more unusual in a bid to help poverty-stricken Romanian youngsters get an education.

Boxes of Hope Cumbria has launched an appeal for an industrial washing machine, after hearing that children living on the outskirts of the city of Oradea are too ashamed to attend school because they are unable to wash themselves or their clothes at home.

MORE TOP STORIES: “It really is sad,” explained Kendal resident Rosemary Webster, who works as a trustee for the charity.

“The youngsters love school and want to attend but because they’re learning social skills and are learning about hygiene, they are embarrassed because they cannot wash their clothes.”

The Tinca School, which has been partly funded by Boxes of Hope’s sister charity, People to People, was opened in a village on the edge of the poor city of Oradea, where every year hundreds of Christmas shoeboxes are handed out.

It was set up in a bid to break the cycle of families being forced to beg to get by.

Now the charity wants to raise £5,000 to pay for an industrial washing machine to help the children feel happier in clean clothes.

“It is a horrible thing for a child to be ridiculed by their school friends,” continued Mrs Webster.

“These children need an education so they can create better lives for themselves and this washing machine will make a massive difference.”

Find out more from info@boxesofhopecumbria.co.uk or visit boxesofhopecumbria.co.uk.