Sisters collecting shoeboxes full of Christmas presents to send to disadvantaged kids
Kind-hearted sisters Margaret Edwards and Jean Parker are looking for fellow south Shropshire locals to help them fill shoeboxes to give to disadvantaged children in Eastern Europe.
Margaret and Jean, of Poyner’s Drapers, in Broad Street, Ludlow, are continuing a tradition that they started in 2005, and have already sent off some 95 shoeboxes for children in Bosnia, Romania and Moldova.
"The children might not get anything else for Christmas apart from a shoebox," said Margaret. "It's a lovely thing to do and is close to our hearts."
The philanthropic pair have teamed up with Robin Elt Shoes in Bull Ring, to collect a year's supply of shoeboxes that people can take away and fill or for goods that are handed over.
The boxes tell the recipient that someone, somewhere has prepared the box of them and cares about them and it can bring joy and excitement into an often bleak existence.
A shoe box for a boy or girl can be donated or a home box for a family. Items which can be included in the boxes include toothbrush and toothpaste, hair accessories, soap and a face cloth, stationery and paper, gloves, hat and scarf, new socks or underwear.
A soft toy, game, puzzle, small musical instruments, toy vehicles, sweets with a use by date from June and a small ball can also be included.
For the home boxes items such as candles, plastic containers, t-towels, bowls and cups, clothes pegs, headscarves and small decorative items can be included.
But food, medicines, war related items, fragile items, aerosols or anything highly flammable or sharp should not be included.
The shoebox campaign is run by Wrexham-based Teams4U and they need to be filled and handed in by November 26, says Margaret.
Teams4U has other drop off points across Shropshire which can be found on its website.
