Royal London 360° staff donated clothes and bedding to a charity helping young Romanian men who grew up in the infamous Ceausescu orphanages.
Led by Product Analyst Celine Broughton, staff brought in huge piles of clothes and bedding to be sent to UPSV, a charity which supports young people as they try to integrate into society after an entire life spent in an institution.
“Florin Catanescu set up UPSV 10 years ago, after he found it a struggle to fit into society following an entire childhood spent in several orphanages,” explained Celine. “He spent a childhood with little attention from adults and suffered terrible malnutrition. UPSV’s primary focus is to motivate young adults, who grew up in similar conditions, to develop a sense of purpose and direction. Initially they teach them the basics, such as how to buy food in a supermarket and wash their clothes. They build towards helping them get jobs and become adults who can contribute effectively to society.
“Florin is an inspiration to all, and proof that even if you’ve had a bad start in life you can still stand up and make a difference.”
The Isle of Man Post Office generously met the majority of the cost of sending the material to Romania.
Lucy Webster-Thompson, Chairman of Isle of Man Post Office’s Sponsorship Committee, said: “We were delighted to support Royal London 360° in their gallant efforts to help young men in Romania growing up in orphanages and sending them much needed bedding and clothes. The Sponsorship Committee aims to support a variety of local initiatives throughout the year and is always keen to hear from individuals and organisations looking for support which we may be able to help with.”
UPSV is now building a new Social Integration Centre which will be able to house a further 40 youths.The development is in its early stages and the project funding is fully reliant on charitable donations.
To find out more about sponsoring this project, and about UPSV itself, visit www.upsv.org
Photo - Royal London 360° Product Analyst Celine Broughton and Lucy Webster-Thompson, Chairman of Isle of Man Post Office’s Sponsorship Committee, at the Isle of Man Post sorting office with just a small amount of the collection being sent to Romania.
