Local volunteers have been working tirelessly in recent weeks to prepare shoeboxes to be sent on journeys across the world as part of Operation Christmas Child. The Samaritan’s Purse Project sends shoeboxes full of gifts to children in some of the world’s poorest nations, in order that they will have a present to open at Christmas.
Across the Vale of Glamorgan, schools, churches and community groups have been putting together shoe boxes full of gifts to donate to Operation Christmas Child which have then been sorted in a local depot kindly provided by Edwards Coaches. This year, the local group collected 21,000 shoe boxes which were sent to children Albania, Belarus and Romania.
Local Operation Christmas Child coordinator, Tony McCarthy said, “It is always truly humbling to see how many volunteers in this area contribute to this project every year, whether it’s donating a shoebox full of presents, or lending a hand in the warehouse to sort and prepare the boxes for their voyage.
“At this time of year it can be easy to forget that there are children in the world who live with little to no amenities and could never imagine receiving gifts for Christmas. Seeing the joy on their faces as they receive their box is the most moving, heart-warming sight that I have ever experienced and I thank everyone who has given their time to help Operation Christmas Child 2017."
Vale MP Alun Cairns visited Mr McCarthy and the other volunteers at the local sorting depot to lend a hand with sorting boxes to be sent to Romania. He said, "Every year so many volunteers in and around the Vale dedicate their time to ensuring that a child thousands of miles away has a gift to open at Christmas. The sheer volume of boxes that have been donated is testament to just how generous our local community is. Hundreds of thousands of children in some of the world's poorest countries will be given a brilliant reason to smile this Christmas and that is completely down to those who have donated gifts and volunteered to sort them. Well done to all!"
For more information on how you can contribute to Operation Christmas Child, visit www.samaritans-purse.org.uk/what-we-do/operation-christmas-child/