A RHOS On Sea church will be a flurry of activity next week when Operation Christmas Child begin collections.
Around 80 volunteers will be busy collecting and checking shoeboxes filled with gifts at Rhos on Sea Methodist Church before they are sent to deprived children in developing countries.
Now in its 20th year, the scheme ensures young people in areas such as Belarus, Serbia, Africa and many more are given a gift this Christmas.
Pauline Owen, District Co-ordinator for Operation Christmas Child, said: "Last year we collected and sorted just over 8,200 boxes. We collect from schools and churches in Conwy, Gwynedd as far as Pwllheli, Rhyl and Prestatyn.
“Our volunteers come mainly from local churches and we can have between 70 and 80 people helping out during the course of the week. And parcel delivery service Grand Prix Express will be collecting our cartons each day to take to the Wrexham warehouse like they have for the past 15 years without charge. Without this kind of support we would not be able to operate."
People across the UK regularly donate shoeboxes filled with gifts such as soft toys, colouring pencils, clothing accessories and hygiene items, which are then placed in a gift wrapped shoebox.
Once the boxes have been checked to make sure the gifts are suitable, they are then shipped to children all over the world.
“The boxes are delivered to churches, schools, orphanages and poorer families in Eastern Europe or Africa irrespective of race or religious beliefs,” said Pauline. “The shoebox may be the only gift a child receives at Christmas - the only thing that they can call their own. Long after the gifts have been used and the sweets have been eaten the child will still have the box to keep ‘their’ possessions in.”
Donating a shoebox is simple to do, and advice on what to include can be found on the website at www.operationchristmaschild.org.uk
Pauline added: "Operation Christmas Child can be described as a simple gift from a child to a child - a child they will never meet. It is very difficult for children in this country to understand that some children in other parts of the world will not receive Christmas presents because they are so poor. Every shoebox filled makes a difference and that's why we do it.”
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Rhos on Sea Methodist Church will be open between 10am-4 pm between Monday, November 22 and Friday, November 26 to receive your gift-filled shoeboxes. For more information contact Pauline Owen on 01492 549341.