Moldova Shoebox Appeal, December 2023

The Rotary Club of St Ives have been overwhelmed by the response and generosity of local organisations and people who have put together little boxes of delight to be distributed in Moldova during the Christmas period.

The boxes ranged with goodies for children of 2 years age, right up to items suitable for Grandmothers and Grandfathers . The personal messages and family photographs put in some of the boxes have been wonderful, and the humanity of them has humbled the Club's International Committee who have collated them.

Pictured above are approximately 79 boxes which are being added to the 75 already collected which will shortly be wending their way to Moldova, personally delivered by the charity cr2ee,  (Charity no 10626230) who will ensure that your donations reach needy recipients.

Many impoverished families in Moldova, still the poorest country in Europe, have been thrilled with the cheer the boxes bring them at a time when the ground is hard and food impossible to grow

The club would like to thank all those people and their families who assembled the boxes including: 

• Club members and the many individual Friends of Rotary 
• Thorndown Junior School, 
• St Ivo Academy, 6th Form
• Michelle’s group called “Helping the homeless and people in need in Cambridgeshire” 
• Hartford WI
•  St Ives RAF Wyton Scout group cubs, and the Squirrels
• The Acorn Cancer Support group

Once collected, they begin their journey to Moldova! 

Having a box of goodies to open brings joy at Christmas and really does mean a lot.  

Village houses are usually very basic, with no running water ….

They have the additional burden this year of many Ukrainians who have had to flee their own invaded country, with no idea of when they will be able to return.  Many have crossed through their neighbouring country of Moldova to escape the bombing and it is thought in the region of 86,000 refugees have sought shelter in  Moldova – which itself has an area of Russian occupation and is suffering from interruptions to the power supplies.  

The Soup Kitchen we helped to equip in 2020 has been used to provide aid to all those needing support in the area, Moldovan and Ukrainian. There is no end in sight for this.