Banbury's Operation Christmas Child swings into action - gifts in shoeboxes are needed

With summer over, many people in the Banbury area and the UK are gathering gifts to pack into shoeboxes for Operation Christmas Child.

The annual campaign has been running since 1990 and through it many millions of children around the world have experienced the joy of receiving a box of gifts.

Banbury organiser Eunice Harradine has been leading the project in the Banbury area since 2003.

She said: “Most of the children we give boxes to will never have received a present before at Christmas or any other time of year. In some cases, the gifts we send are life changing, as in some countries children cannot attend school unless they provide their own stationery.

“Feedback shows us how much the children appreciate the love and thought that goes into packing a shoebox with simple gifts.

“This year, our goal is to send two-thirds of shoeboxes from the UK to Ukraine or the neighbouring countries like Moldova and Romania that are hosting many Ukrainian refugee families.”

Details of how to get involved are on the website www.operationchristmaschild.org.uk where there are ideas for suitable gifts and how to prepare a box. A wide selection of items is preferred such as a cuddly toy, games and puzzles, non-liquid toiletries, a hat or gloves and school stationery.

Donors can choose the age group: two to four, five to nine or ten-14 years and gender of the recipient. They are also encouraged to enclose a personal letter to the child and a photo of themselves.

Mrs Harradine said: “The filled shoeboxes are handed personally to needy children by our local ministry partners overseas. They are given out regardless of the children’s race, colour or religion.”

All shoeboxes need a donation of £5 to cover shipping and other project costs. Donors are encouraged to pay this online via ‘Follow Your Box’ on the website. By then enclosing the resulting barcode in their shoebox, the donor will receive an email telling them the country their shoebox(es) have gone to, usually around the beginning of February of the following year.

This year, the national collection week runs from Monday, November 14 - Monday, November 21, when filled shoeboxes should be taken to a drop-off location. Currently in Banbury these are The People’s Church, Horse Fair, Banbury and Magenta Storage, 2 Brookhill Way, Banbury, OX16 3ED but other places are likely be added.

Groups and individuals who wish to join in can order or download leaflets from the website or on 0208 559 2044. Single leaflets are also available from The People’s Church and other churches participating in the project.

For several years, the Shoebox Online scheme has been available in which donors may pack a shoebox without even leaving home. It takes just a few minutes and donors can either select a preset option or choose the age and gender of the child and the gifts, even including a photo and personal message. It costs £20, which also covers project costs including shipping. By using the link: https://tinyurl.com/2p8hrjpt the shoebox will be added to the Banbury area’s total.

Operation Christmas Child is a project of Samaritan’s Purse.

Eunice Harradine can be contacted at [email protected] or on her mobile 07710 483902.