The wish by Macclesfield people to contribute to support people in need is as strong as ever. Throughout the year, many local groups collect items to fill Shoeboxes organised by the Rotary Club of Macclesfield Castle. This photograph shows the latest shoeboxes provided by ladies of the Inner Wheel Club of Macclesfield Castle who have filled over 100 boxes during the last eighteen months. Rotarian Ken Newton who organises the collection said: “This is a tremendous effort from so many local groups to collect the Shoeboxes to send to people in countries where these items are much needed. Thanks to the Inner Wheel members and also parents and children from St Oswald’s Praise and Play Group and St Oswald’s RiCH group, and Macclesfield Eye Society for their generosity in filling the boxes”.

Joyce Whitelaw, Macclesfield Castle Inner Wheel Club International Service Organiser said “This is an annual event in our calendar and usually we get together on a November evening with all the items that have been collected/donated and fill the shoeboxes. This year members have worked individually due to the current pandemic however we collect items all year round.”
The boxes will be sent via The International Aid Trust to Eastern Europe for those in need in Romania, Belarus, Ukraine, Albania, and Moldova.

This next delivery will bring the total number of boxes delivered from this Rotary Club to over 1400 with contributions also from Hurdsfield Primary School, Kettleshulme Primary School, Macclesfield Academy, Calvary Church, Belong Charity, individual Macclesfield residents and the Rotary Club.