To best explain this blog / story I’m going to show the email conversion between my wife Tamzin and a lady called Lisa Day from last year.
Hi,
I was wondering if you could possibly help? Me and my mum do the shoebox appeal each year for the ‘Love in a box’ christmas appeal which is done by the Mustard Seed Relief Missions charity (UK registered charity 1040805).
It gives orphanages and children in Romania, Bosnia, Croatia, and all around the world, each christmas some presents otherwise they get nothing at all and that means a very sad christmas indeed (some of them don’t even have electricity).
It’s to aid and send hope to children desperate situations around the world through gift-filled shoe boxes. We make the boxes all pretty wrap them, pack them and then take them to the drop off point. I would gladly send you photo’s of the boxes when they are finished. I was wondering if you would be kind enough to have anything to spare that i could add to the boxes?
They are asking for any baby/childrens clothes, shoes, socks, toys or baby items. It would be greatly appreciated no matter how small.
Kind reguards
Lisa day
Hi Lisa,Thank you for your e-mail, I would certainly like to help with this appeal, though we do get allot of e-mails like yours so it would be great if you could send me further information about the scheme, either by e-mail or post. We are a small family run buisiness and the clothing site is very new so I dont think I would have anything to help you there, but we do have a baby gift site so maybe I can help with soft toys ect.I look forward to hearing from you.Kind regards,
Tamzin Sharma
Hi Tamzin,We do 20 shoeboxes which go to children who otherwise wouldn’t get anything at christmas ,The ages range from 2 - 15 years we also do one large box of baby items which are sent to the orphanage. We have to do them by the 14th november so as they can go in time for the children to get them for christmas.if theres anything else you would like to know please feel free to ask.Many thanks for your help.
Lisa
Hi Lisa,I will sort out some teddies and I also have some fleece blankets too, can you give me your address for posting. I will put together the parcel during today for posting tomorrow.I’ll wait to hear from you,
Tamzin.
Hi Tamzin,I thought u might just like to see the boxes altogether as they have been finished and packed and have now gone. The shoeboxes are being handed out to the children and The larger boxes at the back are going to the Orphanage. We would just like to thank you once again for your very kind help,You sent such lovely items that they really will appreciate them .
could u please let me know that u received the photo safely.
Best wishes and a very Merry Christmas!
Lisa
A photo from Lisa after she and her mum have finished putting the boxes together for Xmas 2006
Here are some photos of the children in Romania receiving the gift boxes
Living conditions…
Lisa and her mum are collecting again this year, because nothing has changed, same children, same story…
I’m not going to get political here, but this makes me sad, Christmas is the UK is a big waste of money, buying toys for our children (including me) that have 100’s of toys already. Spending 100’s in Tesco, Adsa’s on food… Shopping in Boots, Woolworths and Argos on pointless rubbish that is put in to a drawer or bin somewhere and forgotten about. When all around the World children live in these poor conditions and very sad lives.
Don’t get me wrong, I love Christmas, the food / drink and telly, seeing family and friends. I just think we need to think about others, think about our spending and maybe give a little.
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