More than sixty shoe boxes packed with gifts for underprivileged children in Romania have left Abergavenny for the nationwide collection point in Scotland.

There they will be added to the thousands of others, collected annually by Anglican Church congregations across Britain, that will be transported by road to church partners in Romania for distribution.

Vicar of Abergavenny, Canon Mark Soady, “The boxes, which are individually wrapped, contain mainly practical items like gloves and hats, toothbrushes and hairbrushes.

“We sent 63 boxes from Abergavenny to Scotland last Thursday. The convoy sets off for Romania next week and will take nearly a week to get there - well in time for Christmas.”