Present wrapping for Samaritans Purse 10/11/2012

It was time once again for our annual present wrap/pub lunch! The idea is that we fill decorated shoe boxes with appropriate gifts to be sent as a Christmas present to disadvantaged children around the world. The boxes are filled with toys, games, suitable useful items for either boys or girls within a specific age bracket.

The shoe box scheme is organised by www.samaritanspurse.org  and is known as Operation Christmas Child.

The group split into two sub teams. One team, led by Rob went out to find some shoe boxes via local retailers. The other team, led by Wendy went to Poundland to buy the gifts.

Rob, Simon, and John searched high and low for boxes and found it more challenging in previous years. They even took upon themselves to approach a well known 'adult' retailer with no success.

Eventually the boys found help from a supermarket chain who supplied them with some empty boxes.

The two teams than met up at Poundland. Rob and company informed Wendy and co that we now had 15 boxes to play with. Wendy, Caro, David and Rachel sprang into action and made sure we had 15 of everything to put into each box. After the gifts were purchased, it was on to the Haywain!

After a pub lunch, he group got to work and the 15 boxes were wrapped and packed up. Rachel very helpfully discovered online that Epsom Specsavers collected the shoeboxes. So we then dropped 15 boxes off to a very grateful and impressed bunch of Specsavers staffers!


A great, worthwhile activity as usual. Well done to everyone who helped out on the day!