A charity worker has thanked people in Harwich for their support ahead of a mercy mission to Romania.

Avril and Barry Smith, of Grafton Road, Dovercourt, are part of a convoy taking aid to orphans in June.

Mrs Smith said they had been inundated with donations and help.

Bernards factory, in Barrack Lane, made 200 shoebags out of spare material for children to put their personal things in, while sheets, towels and toiletries were donated by Alexandra House residential home.

Children from Mayflower Primary School, Dovercourt, and The Leas special-needs school, Clacton, filled shoeboxes with gifts and others knitted clothing.

More than £500 was raised at a charity day held at the Park Pavilion recently, which Mrs Smith said would buy grass trimmers and a lawnmower.

She said: "The response has been overwhelming and we are so grateful to everyone."

They will be going to install double-glazing and build a porch at an orphanage in Campina, in the Carpathian mountains, which is home to about 30 children.

They are doing the work as part of Convoy 2000 with Essex Police. It is the fourth aid trip the couple will have made to Romania.

Published Tuesday, April 29, 2003

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