Operation Christmas Child has thanked the thousands of people who dontated shoeboxes for its festive appeal (From East London and West Essex Guardian Series)

Operation Christmas Child has thanked the thousands of people who dontated shoeboxes for its festive appeal

5:00pm Wednesday 16th December 2009

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THE GENEROSITY of people across the district has resulted in thousands of shoeboxes being filled with much-needed items for an important charity.

Members of the public, churches, schools, businesses and community organisations in Epping, Loughton and Ongar all donated shoeboxes full of present for the annual Operation Christmas Child appeal.

Across the whole of Essex 56,500 shoeboxes were filled. The donations were checked and packed by volunteers before being shipped off to children in Belarus, Bosnia, Crimea, Kyrgyzstan, Liberia, Montenegro, Romania, Serbia and Ukraine.

The charity's regional manager Gordon McCann said: “On behalf of Operation Christmas Child and all our volunteers, I just want to send a huge ‘thank you’ to every single person who donated a shoebox this year.

“It has such a positive effect on the child that receives it and I want everyone here to know that their gifts make a real difference.”

For more information on the appeal, visit the website of organisers Samaritan's Purse at samaritanspurse.org.

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