Members of SI Medway and Maidstone have been busy preparing for this year’s Christmas Shoebox Appeal. We set ourselves a target to fill 60 shoeboxes this year focusing on women and girls aged 10 years plus.
Some of the essential items for each shoebox include a hat, scarf, and gloves. Two members took on the task to knit 60 sets of these throughout the year in time for the shoebox filling evening on 23 October.
Other members donated monies to purchase practical items for the shoeboxes such as toothpaste, toothbrushes, soap, flannel, shower gel, notepads, pens, pencils, sanitary products, underwear and socks, small toys, gifts, sweets, candles, and household items.
A supply of empty 60 shoeboxes were provided by a local shoe stockist and then wrapped in advance ready to be filled.
Angela Howe kindly agreed to host the team of 5 volunteers at her home on the evening of 23 October, providing us with a meal before we started filling the boxes. It took us about 2 hours to fill the 60 shoeboxes and label them with what was inside and the gender and age of the intended recipient.
After a successful evening, the 60 shoeboxes were loaded up and taken the next day along to the Collection Point in Gillingham. They will be checked there by volunteers before being transported to people in Kosovo and Albania in time for Christmas. The individually wrapped boxes will be distributed in schools, hospitals, orphanages, and care homes, and to households in very low-income communities.