Shoebox Appeal 2011

We are so grateful to everyone who contributed to our Shoe Box Appeal during 2011.

  123,000 filled shoeboxes were received, the same as the 2010 appeal, which is tremendous.

These were sent to the following countries;

Albania, Bulgaria, Hungary, Kosovo, Moldova, Romania, Serbia and the Ukraine in Eastern Europe

 all in time for distribution for Christmas. 

Boxes were also sent to India and Pakistan and will be distributed during January and February.

In December I was able to visit Bulgaria for the first time in four years to see the work being done there and also to help distribute some boxes.   It was humbling to see the conditions in which some people live in a European Union country.

As each year passes it never fails to amaze me how much joy a simple shoebox can bring to children, teenagers and adults alike. Everyday items that seem so small to us; a new hat and scarf, a toothbrush with some toothpaste, a small toy, some soap; bring great joy to thousands of people who live in desperate poverty.

A visit that stands out was to a group in a village and seeing a young boy so excited by a small pack of toy cars.  His face lit up with a beaming smile and he waved the pack around; showing everyone the treasure he had found.  As we left the building and were in the car he passed by with his mother and was waving still waving the pack around.  This is such a small thing but it encouraged me as to how important the shoeboxes are.

The work and ongoing reminder of the desperate poverty thousands of people struggle with each day and I want to thank you for helping us to give to people in need this past Christmas.

James Campbell

James Campbell

Chief Executive

Watch our Shoeox Appeal 2011 DVD 'Thanks for thinking of me'