Christmas gifts for Belarus and Haiti

MORE than 9,800 gift-filled shoeboxes from across Co Londonderry are heading for vulnerable children in Belarus, Haiti and Romania as part of Operation Christmas Child, one of the largest annual children’s charity projects.

By The Newsroom

Published 3rd Jan 2012, 08:26 BST

The shoeboxes have been donated by individuals, schools, businesses, churches and organisations located in communities including Altnagelvin, Ballykelly, Bellaghy, Claudy, Coleraine, Dungiven, Eglinton, Garvagh, Kilrea, Limavady, Maghera, Magherafelt and Portstewart.

Teams of volunteers in the Operation Christmas Child processing centres at Coleraine and Limavady have worked long hours collecting, checking and loading the shoeboxes for transportation.

Co Derry District Coordinators for Operation Christmas Child, Sharon Jack (Limavady) and Hazel Clarke (Coleraine), say: “We’ve had shoeboxes from all over County Londonderry - quite fantastic!

“It’s tremendous to see such kindness, particularly at a time when the economic downturn is hitting so many people.”