Kent sends 56,000 gift boxes to children globally

A Kent sorting office has sent 56,000 shoeboxes to children across the world as part of the international Samaritan's Purse initiative Operation Christmas Child.

The processing centre, based in Tonbridge, sent donated gift-filled boxes to Central Asia, Eastern Europe and Serbia.

Madeleine McClintock, a spokesperson from the Tonbridge centre, told the BBC that donations in Kent were 5% up from 2023 and that some of the boxes donated were "absolutely beautiful".

The initiative, described by the charity as a "hands-on way for you to bless children in need across the world", involves people filling a shoebox with toys, toiletries, school supplies and fun gifts.

Samaritan's Purse is a nondenominational evangelical Christian organisation.

Every year the charity partners with local churches to spread awareness of its shoebox appeal.

Ms McClintock said "for people to know about Jesus" was "really important to me" but acknowledged that the shoebox initiative surpasses religion.

"Everyone is welcome to come and help," she said.

"People do it for a range of reasons, but often because they love being able to give a gift."

Operation Christmas Child began in 1993 when the charity sent 28,000 boxes to children in the Balkans.

According to the charity, since 1993 more than 220 million children in more than 170 countries and territories have received a shoebox.

Each year Samaritan's Purse releases a list, via its website and leaflets, of what it it is looking for in donated boxes.

People who want to get involved must find a medium-sized box and donate £5 to cover postage costs.

If purchased online, people can download a personalised barcode to track where their gift ends up.

Once filled, people donate their boxes to a local drop-off point, usually a church, warehouse or shop.

At at organisation centre, volunteers then sort through all the boxes checking for liquids, sweets and other banned items.

Ms McClintock said: "Things that are taken out we put in a special rehoming tub and they're given to local charities.

"We have to take all Christian literature out of the box so that they're neutral," she added.

The boxes are then secured, placed into cartons, loaded onto a lorry and sent off around the world.

Volunteers in each country then distribute the boxes in time for Christmas.

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