PEOPLE in Littlemore are shipping shoeboxes full of goodies to Romania to give families there a Christmas to remember.

Schoolchildren, church-goers and residents have donated hundreds of gifts to the Eastern European country because of the continuing poverty there.

Staff from charity Link Romania will collect 80 boxes from SS Mary and Nicholas Church on Thursday to ensure they arrive by Christmas.

The Rev Magreet Armitstead last night said the donations offered something for everyone.

She said: “These boxes are designed for the whole family, which is important because it means everybody gets a little something at Christmas.

“People have been including practical items, like toothpaste, hairbrushes and stationery, alongside toys and clothing.

“Lots of people in Littlemore have knitted hats and scarves.

“It is nice that people in our community can help those less fortunate in Romania.”

Congregation member Maureen Tweney helped organise the three-month long charity appeal.

She said: “I saw a short film which showed families receiving boxes, and one little boy was so happy I found myself in floods of tears.

“It was then I knew that I wanted to do something.

“The important thing with this scheme is that everybody gets a little present. There’s nothing worse than being left out. We have had residents ust phone us up and ask to be involved, which is really nice.”

Thirteen boxes were prepared by pupils at The John Henry Newman School, in Grange Road.

Headteacher Denise Wake said: “It helps the children feel as though they have contributed to somebody else’s Christmas.

“Some of the boxes were prepared by individual pupils and others were put together with all the items the children brought in.

“This scheme helps them understand how fortunate we are in this country, and why it is important to help others.”

A spokesman for Link Romania said: “It is difficult to describe how grateful people are for such simple things.

“For example, stationery items are greeted with such smiles by the children you would have thought you had given them the most expensive present on Earth rather than felt-tips.

“Some of the people we give shoeboxes to really do have nothing.

“It is hard to go into places that you wouldn’t allow a dog to live in. This is terrible poverty and we need to be helping these people.”