Last week members of the Bridge of Allan and Dunblane Rotary Club have been collecting shoeboxes, given out earlier in the month, from local schools and the Boys’ Brigade.

The young people have filled the shoeboxes with gifts and much-needed household materials for people living in severely deprived areas of Eastern Europe. More than 400 shoeboxes have been collected.

Following collection, these shoeboxes are brought to a distribution centre in Perth, where, with shoeboxes collected by other Rotary clubs, they are transported for distribution in Eastern European countries.

The club collected boxes from Newton Primary School, Beaconhurst School, Queen Victoria School, and Dunblane Boys’ Brigade.

Organisers Andew Hilley and Graham Russell said that they were delighted by the response: "It is really heart-warming to see such a willingness to help others in this way. We can be very proud of these young people.”