Westmorland Gazette readers urged to back Operation Christmas Child appeal

4:27pm Monday 2nd November 2009

By Natalie Stewart

WITH the festive season fast approaching, Westmorland Gazette readers are being encouraged to spread some Christmas cheer to some of the world’s poorest children.

This year’s Operation Christmas Child (OCC) appeal aims to put a smile on the faces of disadvantaged orphans in Crimea and the Ukraine, where the only things many youngsters have to call their own are a facecloth and underwear.

A simple shoebox filled with inexpensive gifts can make a real difference to these children, as Rosemary Webster, OCC’s Cumbria co-ordinator, found out when she went to Odessa and Crimea to help hand-deliver some of the gifts from South Lakeland.

“The children welcomed us warmly and sang to us,” she said. “They were excited but they sat quietly until we gave them their boxes.

“When they opened them they looked as if they couldn’t believe what was happening.

“They were full of smiles as they took each gift out of the box and showed them to their friends.

“As soon as they found sweets they offered us one – these were children who had noth-ing, yet what they were given they were happy to share.

“I would like all those who so generously fill shoeboxes to know how much they are valued and appreciated.”

All you have to do is pick up a leaflet from a participating outlet such as The Westmorland Gazette’s office at Wain-wright’s Yard, Kendal, or visit www.operationchristmaschild.org.uk.

Then decorate a shoebox, decide whether it is for a boy or a girl and choose from the age groups two to four, five to nine or ten to 14, and fill it with goodies such as a ball, soft toy, craft kit, colouring book and pencils, puzzles, toothbrush and toothpaste, soap, a hat and gloves and sweets.

Add a £2.50 donation towards transport costs and take your box to a drop-off point from November 1 until 18.

The drop-off points are: the Westmorland Gazette office in Kendal; Leeds Building Society, Kendal; K Factory Shop; Frothimoon bridal shop; Shoezone; Witherslack Community Shop; Bowland Bridge Post Office; The Salon in Ulverston; Emmanuel Christian Centre in Ulverston; Cumbria Furniture Services in Ulverston; Stephensons Greengrocers in Appleby; The Flower Basket in Appleby; Post Office and Emporium in Kirkby Stephen; Post Office in Sedbergh; Taylors in Kirkby Lonsdale; Choff’s Tea Room in Brough; Black’s and Hayes Garden Centre in Ambleside; Mountain Goat in Windermere; the Hawkshead shop in Hawkshead; The Wordsworth Hotel in Grasmere.