CARING students at Royal Wootton Bassett Academy have made up more than 150 shoeboxes for the Rotary Club Shoebox Scheme.

Every year, youngsters in Years 7, 8 and 9 at the school make up the boxes in tutor groups before handing them over to Bernard Aslett of the Rotary Club of Royal Wootton Bassett and District.

The boxes were packed with toys, stationery and toiletries and then decorated for children in Eastern Europe who have never received presents before.

Twelve-year-old Aiva Griffin, in Year 8, helped to make up seven shoeboxes to send out.

She said: “Many children don’t have the things that English children do and it can be hard for English children to understand what it’s like.

“I think making shoeboxes are a really good thing to do to try and help them.”

It was the first time that 11-year-old Solène Thomas, from Broad Hinton, had taken part in the shoebox appeal.

She said: “I was really fun. People in other countries don’t have the things we have and it’s good to be able to send things to them.”

Bernard Aslett, 82, has been leading the Shoebox Scheme for the Rotary Club for many years, shipping thousands of boxes to children who need them.

He said: “I think the students have done well this year.

“This school has a great reputation for helping charities both locally and globally and they have a lot of projects this year so it’s great they’ve been able to give so much for this cause as well.”