Rotary members step up to send huge shoe collection to national charity
From shoes to slippers, wellington boots to football boots, footwear from across the Oswestry area has been sent to a national charity to help those in need.
Oswestry Cambrian Rotary members have been busy in the last few weeks collecting unwanted shoes and other footwear, that still had some life left, to donate to the charity Shoe Aid UK.
The national charity sources and supplies free footwear through a collection and distribution network, so no child or adult need go without shoes.
It says that more than four million men, women and children are wearing footwear that is neither suitable nor fit for purpose, while at least 2,500 homeless people have no shoes or shoes that are falling to pieces.
Cath Baldry, one of those who organised the collection, said that more than two million shoes were thrown into landfill every week, an environmental disaster.
"Footwear poverty affects 1.5 billion people worldwide, of which 300 million are children who have no shoes and 70 million of those children are unable to access suitable education footwear because shoes are required as part of the school uniform," she said.
Helped by a member of another Rotary group, over 400 pairs of shoes were collected by people in Oswestry and West Felton to take to the Shoe Aid UK factory at Nottingham.
Rotarian Cath Baldry said: “We are delighted with the generous response from local people, and it is good to know that their unwanted footwear will help so many adults and children and not end up in landfill. We are making plans to repeat this collection in a few months, as this has been such a success so watch this space.
Rotarian Neil Ruby stored the shoes at his warehouse at Gledrid. and member Mike Mobach also helped with transporting the shoes to Shoe Aid headquarters at Nottingham.
For more information on the Rotary club contact Mike Lade on 01691 570917, email info@oswestrycambrianrc.co.uk or visit oswestrycambrianrc.co.uk
