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Warwickshire’s Christmas gift to Ukraine’s needy children

Monday, 6th November 2006

Operation Christmas Child’s answer to Santa’s workshop swung into action this week at Stoneleigh Park, checking shoe boxes packed with gifts ready for despatch to needy children in the Ukraine.

Charity worker Sharon Hedges said: “Last year Warwickshire collected 18,000 gift filled shoe boxes, from schools, churches, ladies’ groups and other supporters, for children in Belarus. We are working flat-out again this year to get the shoe boxes ready for the lorry to pick them up in early December.”

“On 4th January I am going with a team from the UK to help distribute boxes in the Ukraine. We will be giving them to children from very poor families, orphanages and kids living on the streets.”

“It is such a worthwhile project and I can’t wait to see the children’s faces as they open their boxes and see what is inside. Their expressionless faces transformed into a smile.”

The project, run by Samaritans Purse International, is now in its 16th year. This year the Royal Agricultural Society of England stepped in to provide a free building at Stoneleigh Park for the gift box checking and packing into cartons.

Operation Christmas Child is still welcoming donations of filled shoe boxes, toys and any items that can be used as fillers to local drop off points, which are all listed on the charity’s website: www.samaritanspurse.uk.com until 20th November.

ENDS

(more follows: contacts and editors’ notes)

For more information please contact Sharon Hedges (Operation Christmas Child) 07806 706532 or David Barratt (Stoneleigh Park) 024 7669 6969. Image available.

NOTES

The Royal Agricultural Society of England – owner of Stoneleigh Park - plays a leading role in the development of British agriculture and a vibrant rural economy through the uptake of good science, the promotion of best practice and participation in high level debate. The encouragement of education on rural issues and the social welfare of rural communities are also key areas of the Society’s activity. www.rase.org.uk.