Sure and the organisers of this year’s Sure Skate have joined up with Condor to give a helping hand to next year’s Rotary Club of Jersey’s Shoebox Appeal.

With the Guernsey ice rink up and running, the shoe boxes, which 150 pairs of skates were sent in, were destined for recycling but then Sure came up with a better idea.

“We already had a link with the Rotary Club de la Manche, which is the Jersey branch of Rotary, as we were planning to give them the shoe boxes from Sure Skate in Jersey. But then we were told that because Jersey’s skates were bought last year, they were no longer in boxes and so rather than let Rotary down, we decided to try and find a way of bringing the boxes over from Guernsey to Jersey,’ said Rotarian, and Sure’s Jersey Chief Executive, Graham Hughes.

“We spoke to Condor and they generously agreed to help us transport the boxes safely over. This is a fantastic example of local companies working together to help those in need across the world and we are honoured to have the opportunity to make this small difference.”

Each year Rotary asks people to pack a shoe box full of gifts, which are then sent to under-privileged children. In 2008 Rotary Club de la Manche sent 1,653 boxes from Jersey and this year islanders collected 2,331 boxes which have been delivered to children in Montenegro and Tanzania.

“It might seem strange to be thinking as far ahead as Christmas 2010 when the 2009 boxes have just gone but it takes so much co-ordination and planning that the earlier we start the better it is. These boxes will now be kept in storage and given to islanders to fill ready to bring some joy to children next Christmas and we want to thank Sure and Condor for their help,” said organiser Tina Palmer.