By Pam McClounie

Last updated at 12:06, Tuesday, 30 October 2012

An appeal for shoe boxes packed with goodies for children has been launched to send to children in Romania.

Generous: Volunteer Keith Webster adds another shoebox filled with presents to the pile at Operation Christmas Child’s Cumbrian warehouse in 2010

Samaritan’s Purse is calling on churches, schools, workplaces and families to help achieve a remarkable milestone – that of delivering their 100 millionth gift-filled shoe box during this year’s Operation Christmas Child (OCC) campaign.

Last year, 18,000 shoe boxes were sent abroad from Cumbria.

Ian Taylor, regional manager for Operation Christmas Child, said: “We are one of the UK’s largest annual children’s charity projects, distributing over one million gift-filled shoeboxes to needy children at Christmas time last year.

“The challenge for us now is to increase Cumbria’s contribution to this global programme, so we’re asking everyone across the region to help us achieve that.

“It is the 22nd year of Operation Christmas Child and the level of support from across the county is essential to the project’s continued success.

“We know we can count on people’s big-heartedness even in difficult economic times. Last year we received shoeboxes from supporters in a wide range of communities and more than 18,000 gift-filled shoe boxes were distributed to vulnerable children in Bosnia, Crimea and Romania.

“It’s wonderful to think that we are a small part of such a large global project that is doing so much good for millions of children.”

Simon Barrington, Samaritan’s Purse UK executive director, said: “I can’t visualise what 100 million children would look like – I’ve been told that if they were to stand hand-in-hand they would circle the globe twice. But for me it’s always about the individual children receiving gift-filled shoe boxes; every box counts and has the potential to make a massive difference in children’s lives.

“We need to remind the children of the world that, whatever their circumstances, people in the UK do care about them and want them to know the true meaning of Christmas.”

To find out how to be part of the 100 Million Shoebox Challenge visit www.operationchristmaschild. org.uk for instructions on how to complete a gift-filled shoe box in time for the November 18 deadline.

PMcClounie@cngroup.co.uk

First published at 11:33, Tuesday, 30 October 2012
Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk