FIVE volunteers have travelled to Romania to distribute a lorry-load of aid to poverty-stricken people.

The New Life for Romania team from New Life Baptist Church, in Northallerton, arrived in the Transylvania area of the country on Saturday after collecting more than 1,500 shoeboxes of gifts from 28 schools from Northallerton, Thirsk, Richmond and Teesside.

Other donations, which will be given to families, hospitals, orphanages and schools, included clothing, furniture, over the counter medication, and personal care goods.

David Bainbridge, one of the appeal’s organisers, said: “We complain about everything here, but compared with Romania it is nothing.”

The goods for the church’s 18th annual appeal were stored by Chris Herron Associates, Northallerton, and packed by cycling parts distributor Zyro, at its base in Thirsk.