DROITWICH Spa Methodist Church has sent 385 seasonal shoeboxes full of Christmas goodies to needy children all over the World, as part of Operation Christmas Child.
The packages and their contents were donated by members of the congregation and £1,000 was also raised towards the cost of transporting the boxes to their destination.
Volunteer packers, checkers and stackers worked tirelessly on the packing day to ensure the boxes were ready, as did helpers who kept everyone fuelled with tea and coffee.
Minister Rev Jane Wilson thanked everyone who donated and everyone who helped pack on what had become another record year for the church’s campaign.
And she added, although they did not know the final destination of the boxes, it was great to know that since 1990, more than 124million boys and girls in over 150 countries had experienced God’s love through the power of simple shoebox gifts from Operation Christmas Child.
Co-ordinator Jean Shail added: “Thank you to everyone for making the event so successful.
“People have been knitting hats and gloves, making pencil cases and toys, buying sweets and sending in gifts for the boxes all year, and the atmosphere on the packing day was wonderful.
“It was such a friendly, happy and sociable day which was great fun so nothing felt like a chore.”
Fellow coordinator David Shail thanked everyone who contributed their time, talents and donations.
“It seems unbelievable that from starting from a single box 20 years ago we are now up to almost 400.
“After a brief rest we will be starting preparations for 2016 and encouraging folks to start looking out for and making items for next year’s shoeboxes when perhaps we will reach the 400.”
