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Customs’ hold-ups prompts rethink for Rotary Shoebox Scheme
The Rotary Shoebox Scheme has discontinued sending baby boxes to disadvantaged families.
Originally started by Rotary clubs in north-west England in 1994, the Rotary Shoebox Scheme was set up to provide children in north-east Romania with Christmas gifts.
Each year the Rotary Shoebox scheme sends around 50,000 shoeboxes filled with essential supplies and gifts, such as toothpaste, soap and toys.
However, the organisation reports that they have been having increasing problems with Customs officers in countries where the goods have been received.
Trustee Clive Gardiner reported: “We have suffered fines and delays as Customs raise their importing requirement standards and as such, we must apply stricter rules of what is acceptable, and boxes that fall short of the required standards cannot be dispatched.”
Each year the Rotary Shoebox scheme sends around 50,000 shoeboxes filled with essential supplies and gifts, such as toothpaste, soap and toys.
This has led to some rules which Rotary Soapbox Scheme have had to adhere to:
- All toys and clothes must now be new.
- Items with expiry dates found on some household and personal care items must have minimum of six months left. Customs on arrival insists items must have three months left – but collection, sorting and delivery can take several months.
- No food of any kinds, which includes all sweets, chocolate etc.
As a result, the Rotary Shoebox Scheme has decided to discontinue baby boxes. Clive explained that there was less demand for them now, and customs are extremely picky about any content, driven by safety and health concerns for the very young.
He added: “We appreciate this will take some time to fully implement as new boxes sent will for a time, still include the option, and of course customers will have some in stock. If you could strike them out on the lid before distribution it would be very helpful. Any you have back already can still be returned to us.
“We regularly receive shipments back of completed boxes, from which we must reject up to 20% for the reasons above, or they have not been filled.
“It would be immensely helpful to us if you could check box contents before requesting a collection. It has become a very serious problem for us as we do not have enough volunteers to inspect every box.”
For more details about the Rotary Shoebox Scheme, log onto their website.
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