MORE than 3,000 shoeboxes filled with Christmas gifts and essentials were donated to impoverished people in Ukraine and Romania this Christmas.
The annual Mustard Seed Jersey appeal has been collecting the festive shoeboxes annually since 1998.
These boxes – donated by Islanders – include necessities like toothpaste and soap and toys and stationary depending on the age group.
Initially designed to support people in Romania, the organisation started sending boxes to Ukraine in 2022 following the Russian invasion. This year, around 2,000 were sent to Romania and over a third to Ukraine.
The organisation work with Mustard Seed Romania and Asociatia Schimbare de Viață (Assosciation for Change of Lives), to ensure the aid goes to the right places.
Rose Pallot, who founded Mustard Seed Jersey and recieved an MBE for her extensive work with the organisation, said: Those are the two countries where we’re sending at the moment. We always make sure that the boxes and whatever we send is going to be well used. So it’s important that we have really good in-country partners, and we’ve got that in those two countries.
“We do send relief aid throughout the year but it’s obviously only when we have a full trailer to send because the cost is prohibitive.”
Ms Pallot, who went on the distribution trip to Romania this year alongside three others this year, added: “In one school we were incredibly encouraged as several of the older children had passed through the Mustard Seed kindergarten and homework club and were now able to hold their own and do well in the state school.
“It was especially rewarding for the Romanian social worker and an affirmation of his work over the years, as he now saw the once rejected gypsy / Roma children Mustard Seed had assisted who are now accepted and thriving in the village schools.”
Following their Romania trip, Ms Pallot explained that the most meaningful distribution to her was near the city rubbish dump- where they took loaves of bread, shoeboxes, and waterproof boots and coats.
She added that some of the volunteers are Romanians now working in Jersey, who remember receiving shoeboxes themselves when they were younger.
The organisation has also set up a sponsorship scheme, which enables people to sponsor individuals throughout winter to help with food shops, heating, and essentials. Specifically, pensioners in Romania are described as the neediest group in the country – forming Mustard Seed Jersey’s ‘Adopt a Granny’ scheme, which money sent to Romania.
The recommended asking donations is £16 to £22 per month, while family sponsorships are around £25 to 30 per month. Details on this initiative can be found on the website – mustardseed.org.je.
“The sponsorship appeal is probably the most successful ongoing project that we’ve got. We’ve been running it for years, probably 25 years. It’s very successful. I think people can relate to it—one person helping another,” Ms Pallot said.
“It’s such a big help though, what we are doing is we are offering a helping hand, not paying all of people’s expenses by any means, but doing the best we can to give them the help.”
