THIS week is the last chance for anyone hoping to donate a shoebox to the Boxes Of Hope Cumbria charity appeal.

The charity helps deprived communities in Eastern Europe by sending gift-filled shoeboxes over the Christmas period.

They are appealing for South Cumbria residents to fill shoeboxes with toys, games and sweets, as well as a £2 donation which will be sent to a Romanian child in need.

Each year a small group of volunteers fly out to Romania and distribute the boxes to children living in truly awful conditions, many will be living in abject poverty, their homes will be no more than one room mud huts.

This year the team will be returning to the small village of Hetea in central Romania.

Hetea is an isolated village, during bad weather it is inaccessible unless by a four-wheel drive car or a horse-drawn wagon.

There is a primary school in the village but most of the children abandon school after they leave.

The closest secondary school is in Araci, six kilometres away. As a result, many of the children can’t read and write.

Rhona Teale, a trustee at Boxes of Hope Cumbria, talked about visiting Hetea and meeting the children.

She said: “visiting Hetea is always a very humbling experience, you feel honoured that you have the chance to help these people.

“We spend all day on the road distributing gifts.

“Its hard work but very rewarding when you see the childrens faces.

Most of them do not know what Christmas is and that is the only present they will receive.”

Boxes of Hope Cumbria have already collected 1,011 boxes and will be continuing to collect them for the rest of this week.

Rhona wanted to thank everyone who has worked behind the scenes to make this possible and everyone who donated.

She said: “Thank you to Barrow Womens Community Matters for giving us the warehouse facility at Nan Tait Centre.

“Thank you as well to everyone who has donated a shoebox to the appeal and a special thank you to Furness Lions who offered their help in the warehouse.”

The appeal began on of November 1 and runs until this Thursday.

Boxes can be left at The Mail office on Abbey Road Barrow, Millom Network Centre on Salthouse Road or Fountain St Dental Practice on Fountain Street in Ulverston.

Anyone hoping to donate a box can find the full list of drop off point at http://www.boxesofhopecumbria.co.uk.

The money included in each donation covers the cost of transporting and packaging the shoeboxes being shipped to Romania.