For the last five years Beryl Braken has been organising shoe boxes of gifts from Kedington. She has also worked at the Operation Christmas Child's local depot where the boxes have their content checked and are then packed ready for their long journeys.
KedingtonNews.co.uk asked Beryl why Operation Christmas Child was important to her. She said "It aims to bring Christmas happiness to children who are so poor that they have never had a present." She also commented that one story which particularly struck her was of one child who lived in a former water tank. The second year Operation Christmas Child visited his village he showed them where he had taken the Christmas wrapping from his shoe box and stuck it on the wall of his home because it was the only colour in his grey metal "house".
Over the years hundreds of shoe boxes shoe boxes have left Kedington for distant places thanks to the efforts of Many organisations around the village. This year one such organisation will be the village library who will be be asking children to help them make Christmas light catchers to go in the shoe boxes on the 14th and 21st of November between 2pm and 4pm. To do this they will require lots of old CDs and Old Christmas Cards. They6 ask that if you have any please drop them off at the library as soon as possible.
This year's boxes are again destined for disadvantaged children in Belarus and Beryl is hoping for Kedington to send even more gifts. If you want to help you can contact Beryl on 01440 703473. Boxes need to be in by November the 21st
Operation Christmas Child has a website at http://www.operationchristmaschild.org.uk/
Article by M.P.Upton - 9/11/10
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