WARM-HEARTED people across York, North and East Yorkshire have filled thousands of shoeboxes with toys, sweets and other small gifts to bring a little Christmas joy to vulnerable children around the world.

Organisers of Operation Christmas Child say more than 14,100 gift-filled shoeboxes have been donated by communities including York, Selby, Malton, Harrogate, Northallerton, Pickering, Ripon, Scarborough, Thirsk, Whitby and York.

Teams of Operation Christmas Child volunteers at the charity’s processing centres, including one at Sherburn-in-Elmet, have checked and loaded the shoeboxes for their journey to Belarus, Crimea, Romania, Serbia and Swaziland.

The shoeboxes will go to youngsters in orphanages, children’s homes, street shelters and hospitals, or perhaps with their family but in conditions of poverty.

Keith Gibbons, regional manager for Operation Christmas Child, said that although times were quite tough for many, people had still gone out of their way to pack a shoebox.

“People here have been brilliant,” he said.

“We continue to be bowled over by their kindness. The encouraging comments our volunteers get when collecting shoeboxes from schools, churches, businesses, at drop-off points and from people handing them in at the warehouse remind us there are many good, kind-hearted people out there.

“We see thoughtfulness from all ages and walks of life and it is very humbling. I wish each of these people could see the impact their shoeboxes have on the children who get them.

“It really makes a difference and brings joy and happiness to children who have very difficult lives.”

He said that although most of the lorries carrying shoeboxes were already on their way, a new online service would allow people to prepare a shoebox up to December 25.

“All they need to do is go to www.operationchristmaschild.org.uk/shoeboxworld

“Once their virtual shoebox has been created online, it’s really easy. Volunteers in our warehouses fill actual shoeboxes with the selected items and prepare them to be shipped to one of the destination countries where shoeboxes are given to children in need, for example around January 7, which is the Russian Orthodox Christmas.”