For 2011 we have made 1094 shoeboxes for Operation christmas child.

Last year it took 3 days solid to gift wrap 111 shoeboxes, so for 2011, we had over 1000 boxes printed with a nice red and white snowflake design so we didn't have to wrap them.  This has given the boxes a more robust finish to help protect them on their journey and also freed up time for us to concentrate on getting the items to fill the boxes.  Filling started on 10 October 2011 and we delivered the boxes to the Operation Christmas Child Depot in Wrexham mid November. We've been told that this year most of our boxes are destined for Liberia.  In all we did 512 girls boxes and 582 boys boxes.  Each box contains a selection of items and we've listed these below for a Girl's box:

2 to 3 Hair Bands, 4 to 5 Balloons, 4 to 5 Sweets, Pencil, Blue and Black Pen, Rainbow Colouring Pens, Watch (Girl Colour), Pair of Socks, Pink Soap Dish, Soap, Face Cloth (Girl Colour), Dolphin Tooth Brush, Tooth Paste, Christmas Cards, Notepad, Hat.

Turn a centrifuge into fun...

It all started with a used centrifuge last year - At the beginning of the year we decided that we would get it together this year and mass produce shoeboxes of toys for the Samaritans Shoe box appeal. These are basically shoe boxes full of goodies that get sent all round the world for needy children at Christmas.

It's amazing how it all came together – Using the money raised by selling the old centrifuge, we bought 100 shoeboxes from a web supplier and went round a number of stores looking for deals on the items to go inside the shoeboxes.

We bought tubes of tooth paste from tesco at 17p per tube, thousands of value felt tip pens, note pads, etc, etc, toothbrushes from Bargain Madness and Baseball Caps and colourful socks from Primark. It's amazing, wherever we went there were special offers to be had. The mini production line started and we got 100 boxes wrapped and filled in 3 days!

This year we've done as many boxes as can fit in the back of a Ford Mondeo Estate - it turned out to be 111 boxes !

In the recession, its hard for us all, but It can lead to charities and volunteer organisations getting hit the hardest. Even if its something small each one of us has the power to answer a prayer, “Answer a prayer today – its amazing how small things can make a big difference".

If you can help support Operation Christmas Child in any way, either now or maybe take a note of it for next years appeal, then please visit this link.