Team Hope’s annual Christmas Shoebox Appeal kicks off in Offaly

IT’S Christmas Shoebox season again! Team Hope’s Christmas Shoebox Appeal is an annual campaign that delivers gifts straight into the hands of children affected by poverty. Often these shoebox gifts are the only gift that a child will receive at Christmas and the joy that they bring is incredible. All details are on www.teamhope.ie.

There is still time to prepare a shoebox. Simply wrap a standard adult shoebox with snazzy Christmas wrapping paper. Please wrap the box and lid separately so it can easily be opened.

Decide who your gift is for, a girl or boy aged between 2 – 14. Print off a label (from www.teamhope.ie) or use the one on the Christmas Shoebox appeal leaflet – tick the age group and stick it on the top right-hand corner of your shoebox lid.

Fill your box with lovely gifts using items from each of the 4 W’s list:

Wash: Bar of soap (wrapped), hairbrush, comb, toothbrush, toothpaste and facecloths.

Write: Pens or pencils, crayons, paper or copy books, colouring books, markers, sharpeners and erasers.

Wear: Socks, underwear, flip flops, hat, scarf and gloves.

Wow: examples include a cuddly toy, a doll, a skipping rope, marbles, sweets (that do not go out of date for at least 6 months), small musical instrument, toy cars, photo of you and your family, toy car, doll, ball and stickers.

Please don’t include liquids, chocolate, sharp objects, scary things, breakables, medicine, books with lots of words or large clothing items.

Don’t forget to add €5 to help get your box to a child. You can donate online or include cash in the envelope provided with the leaflet. You can place the cash envelope on top of your gifts inside the box.

Hold the box together with a large elastic band. Please don’t seal it with tape as each box has to be checked for custom purposes.

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Get your boxes to the team by November 10th and thanks to the following who have volunteered to act as local drop off points:

(1) Kit your Kitchen, Bridge Centre, Tullamore

(2) Kelly’s Toymaster, Church Road, Tullamore

(3) Dealz, Cloncollig Industrial Estate, Tullamore

(4) Clara Resource Centre

(5) Carrolls Menswear 67 JKL Street, Edenderry

(6) Spar Cloghan

(7) First Stop Tyres, Banagher

(8) Central Tool Hire, Syngefield, Birr

For more information check out our Facebook page - Christmas Shoebox Appeal Offaly.

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