Buckie Blythswood appeal aims to deliver boxes of festive joy to Romania this festive season
Sharing the true meaning of Christmas joy with people in a poverty-stricken Eastern European nation is at the heart of a charity collection campaign next week.
Buckie Blythswood Christmas Shoebox Appeal will be hoping to once again receive generous donations from local folk to bring a smile to the faces of people of all ages in Romania.
The charity’s dedicated team of volunteers will be at Buckie Baptist Church hall on Cluny Place from Monday to Wednesday, November 4-6 to either receive already-filled shoeboxes or goods which can be used to fill them.
Last year saw people in neighbouring Moldova - one of the poorest countries in Europe - benefit from the generosity of folk in Buckie and the surrounding area.
A total of just under 1400 boxes were collected last year, along with £2000 in case to help with the ever-rising transport costs of getting the shoeboxes to their destination. Donations of money will again be most welcome this time around.
The boxes contain gifts for all age groups aged three years upwards, ranging from small toys for youngsters through to the likes of gloves and toiletries for adults. In particular, the Buckie team are looking for boxes meant for teenagers and teenage boys in particular.
In a change to this year’s campaign, Bythswood are asking people not to donate items for babies as these goods have proved very difficult to distribute in target countries. While baby items which are handed in will not be turned away and will be given to people in need, this may mean they are distributed in the UK to the likes of baby banks.
Celebrating her second year at the helm of the Buckie team are Karen and Kenneth McKilligan, who took over the reins last year from long-serving stalwarts George and Joan Flett.
She said: “Although the cost of everything is going up local people were so generous last year.
“The shoeboxes really do make a difference.
“When you see the videos of people opening their boxes it gives them such joy, it’s really humbling. It’s often the most simple things like a tube of toothpaste or a small toy, you see people literally dancing for joy.
“This is the real meaning of Christmas, bringing joy to others. It makes it all very worthwhile.”
Mrs McKilligan added that people can instead to choose to sponsor a shoebox rather than fill one themselves. This involves paying a fixed sum to Blythswood which is then sent to the target country where a trusted partner purchases items locally to fill a shoebox.
For more details about this scheme and how to support the shoebox campaign, including the type of items required, visit https://blythswood.org/shoeboxappeal/
Anyone who feels they could spare some of the ir time to help out the Buckie volunteer team is welcome to pop along.
The Buckie Baptist Church Hall will be open to receive donations of boxes, goods and cash this coming Monday and Tuesday from 10am to 7pm and on Wednesday from 10am to 5pm.