VOLUNTEERS are being sought to load up Christmas shoeboxes at St Mary de Wych in Wychbold at 9.30am on Wednesday, November 29.
The collection for Teams4U has been done by the Wychebrook group of churches, Wychbold First School and the local Girl Guide pack.
Last year, 33,000 boxes were sent in total by the charity to Romania, Belarus and Bosnia.
Locally, the churches, schools and other groups amassed over 440 boxes in their first year of working together for this cause. The team is confident of beating that total this time around.
Residents are welcome to add to the boxes which can contain a number of items, including toothbrush and toothpaste, hairbrush/comb, facecloth and soap, pens, pencils, paper, gloves, hats, scarves, balls, soft toys, puzzles or bubbles.
Contributors can also include a photograph of themselves and a £2.50 donation to cover the cost of transporting the box is also requested. Boxes have to be donated by Thursday, November 23.
Last year Rev Gary Crellin from the parish went to Bihor County in Romania.
He said: “Romania is only 1,000 miles away and in the EU but some of the places were more like medieval villages.
“No running water, peat fired stoves.
“Families had only horses and carts and homeless people were housed in converted shipping containers.
“One school has to get the kids to bring bottled water in so they could flush the toilets.
“Maybe we can help families not too dissimilar to ours this Christmas – by packing a box of love, and letting Teams4U deliver it for you.”
Visit www.teams4u.com or email Rev Gary on [email protected] for more information.
