Cooke & Arkwright

Christmas in a Box

18/11/09

Operation Christmas Child, the world’s largest children’s Christmas charity project, has expanded into Cardiff this year thanks to three months’ free use of a 6,450 sq ft warehouse at Southpoint Industrial Estate, arranged through agents Cooke & Arkwright on behalf of the landlord, Longford Investments (No 1) Ltd. 

The charity also uses satellite warehouses in Newport, Talbot Green, Port Talbot and Swansea, and last year sent 55,000 shoeboxes of gifts and goodies to children in disadvantaged situations in Serbia, Kosovo, Belarus and Ukraine.  The operation is run by Samaritan’s Purse, with people donating shoeboxes from around the UK.  Gifts such as toy bears, jigsaws, small musical instruments, felt pens, pencils and sharpeners, colouring books and notepads, toothbrushes and toothpaste, hairbrushes, soap, sweets, gloves, scarves and hats are all packed into gift wrapped shoe boxes, tailored towards boys or girls in the age ranges: 2-4, 5-9 and 10-14 years of age.  In 2008 1.23 million were sent out from the UK and 9.8 million worldwide.

Local volunteer Margaret Bird, who together with her husband Ted, has been involved with the charity for around five years, said that the use of the warehouse was very important.  “We need short term premises to enable us to check and send thousands of these gifts with unconditional love to children in desperate need of the simple things in life that most children in the UK take for granted,” she said.  “We are very grateful for the warehouse, which is used as a drop off point for individuals and groups to leave their donations.”

Jeremy Symons of Cooke & Arkwright said, “Many of the children who receive these shoe boxes have never received a gift of any kind in their lives.  Our clients have been more than happy to assist with Operation Christmas Child.”

Cooke & Arkwright donated a number of shoe boxes filled with gifts to be sent abroad by the charity, in addition to a number of boxes provided by staff.  Director Graham Davies, who has also been involved with the charity for some time said, “Operation Christmas Child is one of the most fulfilling and humbling projects I have ever experienced.  It challenges our perspective and can make some of the issues we deal with on a regular basis seem very trivial in comparison.”

Simon Barrington, chief executive of Operation Christmas Child said, “We are extremely grateful for the assistance of Cooke & Arkwright and the generosity of Longford Investments in providing this warehouse.”

Operation Christmas Child has been running for over 19 years and thanks to a huge army of volunteers who give their time to help make this Christmas ‘miracle’ come to life, is able to deliver gift-filled shoeboxes to children in Africa, Eastern Europe and Central Asia. In the UK alone last year, over 1.2 million shoeboxes were wrapped, packed and sent to disadvantaged children around the world by children and adults in the UK.  The charity works with local churches and charities overseas to ensure that every shoebox gets delivered by hand to children who need it most. Its approach is to give shoeboxes to children in need, regardless of their background or beliefs. 

If you would like to donate a box this Christmas please contact Margaret and Ted Bird on 07934 408532

Pictured: Back row: Jeremy Symons, left and Graham Davies, right, Cooke & Arkwright; with Margaret Bird, centre, Coordinator for Operation Christmas Child. Front row l to r: Volunteers Hilary Williams, Shirley Powell, Bryony Williams, Haydn Williams; and Ted Bird, Coordinator OCC

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