MORE than 50 shoeboxes filled with Christmas gifts has been given to Devon charity Christian Response to Eastern Europe thanks to the generosity of people in the Upper Culm Valley.

They will go to Moldova, one of Europe’s poorest countries, along with a large bag of knitted gloves, hats and scarves.

Organiser Janice Bawler said: “As always people in this area have been very generous and I am so grateful to everyone. Since I started organising a Christmas shoebox collection in this area thousands of boxes have been delivered to CR2EE and Samaritan’s Purse.

“It is so gratifying to know that so many villages, towns and schools who once brought their boxes to us now organise their own collection.”