BARNTON-based Christian Community Ministries has teamed up with a Northwich housing trust to improve the lives of needy children in Romania.

Weaver Vale Housing Trust has been working with the charity on Runcorn Road, to collect household items including toothpaste, stationery and small toys for its shoe box appeal.

A spokesman for Weaver Vale Housing Trust, said: “The Trust does a lot of work with local charities and we were delighted to lend our support to CCM in the run up to Christmas. “We had a fantastic take-up to the shoe box appeal and I would like to thank all our generous staff who helped to fill more than 35 shoe boxes.”

The Barnton charity has been running the shoe box appeal for the past three years and donated the gifts to disadvantaged children at the Emanuel Children’s Home and other poor families living in the Cluj Napoca area of north west Romania.

Last year more than 600 boxes were sent by the charity and all staff are working hard to send out even more to Romania this year.

“We are so grateful for this kind donation from the trust.

“Many of the children who will receive the boxes have nothing and the happiness that one shoe box can bring to them makes such a difference to their lives,” said Dawn Appleton, of CCM.

The boxes were presented to Dawn Appleton by Danielle Baddeley and Danielle Hough, from the Weaver Vale Housing Trust, on Friday, November 12.