Banbury charity wants to send 900 gift packages to needy children overseas this Christmas

The Banbury branch of the global Christian humanitarian aid organisation Samaritan’s Purse has launched its annual Operation Christmas Child appeal, which sends millions of packages to children around the world every year.

Last year, residents in the Banbury area managed to fill and donate more than 800 gift-filled shoeboxes and this year the group want to improve on that number by sending a further 100 boxes.

Eunice Harradine, the local registered volunteer who has been organising the Banbury operation since 1990, said: “Every year, I am amazed at the generosity of local people in their support for Operation Christmas Child.

"Last year, we collected 794 actual shoeboxes of gifts from Banburyshire, with another 15 being built online but this year I am hoping that amongst us we can beat that 809 and send 900.”

The shoeboxes get sent to some of the most deprived and war torn regions, with children in Albania, remove African villages and refugee camps in the Middle East and Ukraine all benefitting from the scheme.

Eunice said: “This year marks 20 years since I became the registered volunteer and it thrills me that many people donate year on year to this worthy cause. Every shoebox means another child who will know that someone cares about him or her.”

To support the project, visit www.operationchristmaschild.org.uk or pick up a leaflet from The Entertainer toy shop in Castle Quay, Banbury or Londis Stores and Post Office in Molyneux Drive, Bodicote.

A donation of £5 per shoebox is necessary to cover costs, including shipping, and donators who pay this on the charity’s website and include the relevant barcode inside their shoebox will receive an email in the New Year telling them the country their shoeboxes have gone to.

The filled shoeboxes need to be taken to a Drop-off Location between Monday, November 13 and Monday, 20 at The Peoples Church on Horse Fair, The Entertainer toy shop in Castle Quay, Magenta Storage Ltd at 2 Brookhill Way or Bodicote Stores.

To donate gifts or cash to pack extra shoeboxes, contact Eunice at [email protected] or on 07710 483902.