Kick-off for 2021 Rotary Shoebox Appeal
LOVE IN A BOX FOR POOR CHILDREN AT CHRISTMAS
A SPECIAL event was held to mark the launch of the 2021 campaign to fill shoeboxes with small gifts aimed at children in parts of the world where they would otherwise receive nothing at Christmas.
The Lord Lieutenant of Derbyshire, Liz Fothergill, last week packed the first shoebox for 2021, using gifts prepared by the club’s Warehouse Team.
Dave Cooke, the founder of Teams4U, and son Simon presented some powerful films of previous years’ experience of giving the shoeboxes to children living in poverty.
The event was also attended by the Deputy Lord Lieutenant, the Deputy Mayor of Derby, Alan Grimadell, with the President of the Rotary Club of Derby, Angus Currie, and other members of the Rotary and Warehouse Teams.
In 2020 the club collected 1,824 shoeboxes in the Derby area, despite Covid restrictions, contributing to more than 43,000 collected nationally by the Teams4U charity. These were transported and given to children in poverty in Eastern Europe.
They were collected from schools, churches, businesses and individuals, checked and prepared for transport by their warehouse team at Darley Abbey Mills and transported and delivered by Teams4U. Enthusiastic volunteers work tirelessly throughout the year creating extras to top up the boxes where necessary.
T4Uarrange for them to be transported to a country in Eastern Europe or Africa and distributed to needy children.
The Club’s President, Angus Currie said “We have found that children and many adults in the UK derive a lot of pleasure and satisfaction at Christmas time in making up a gift box.
“It becomes truly ‘Love in a Box’”. Anyone wishing to donate a shoebox, help in the warehouse, or for any other enquiries, should contact John Worthy (worthyshoeboxes@ gmail.com) or Anthony Attwood (anthony.attwood@darleyabbey mills.com).
Teams4U was set up by Dave Cooke, who has nearly 30 years’ experience working in international relief and development. In 1990, he was moved by the needs of the Romanian children he saw on TV, so he put teams together and took aid to Romanian orphanages. In 2006
Dave founded Teams4U to enable many others to be able to have the opportunity and experience of working with and supporting vulnerable children and their families.
“I set up Teams4U because I wanted to give people that wanted to help the opportunity to give more than just money”.
Email: info@teams4u.com
in the past three years or have become dog-friendly during the same period. To nominate a business and vote for your favourite visit: teamdogs.co.uk