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Charity thanks supporters
OPERATION Christmas Child is sending a big thank you to the people of Eastbourne who responded to its annual gift appeal for needy youngsters overseas.
More than 3,400 Christmas shoeboxes full of presents have been handed in by members of the public, schools, companies, churches and organisations across East Sussex.
Roger Fenton, regional manager for Operation Christmas Child, said, "It has been a great response, particularly at a time when people are finding resources stretched due to the credit crunch.
"Our volunteers collected the shoeboxes from throughout East Sussex and took them to the warehouses in Eastleigh, Ashford and Horsham where we checked, packed and loaded them on to lorries for transportation to their destinations."
This year the East Sussex shoeboxes full of Christmas gifts are going to children in Belarus, Bosnia, Crimea, Kyrgyzstan, Liberia, Romania, Swaziland, Serbia and Ukraine.
Roger added, "On arrival they are distributed by local organisations, charities and churches to children aged between three and 14, many of whom are in orphanages, street shelters, hospitals, displaced persons camps or whose families are facing hardship.
"It is clear from the items we see in the shoeboxes and from little personal messages sometimes included, that many people take great care in choosing what to send. Their kindness shines through."
Ian Macleod, head of operations and logistics, says he thought a UK target of 1.25 million shoeboxes would be difficult to achieve in the economic downturn.
He said, "We are handling the last lorry loads right now and, while we are still counting the final figures, I believe we will get at least 1.2 million.
"This is a terrific level of contribution from the public. Every shoebox makes a real difference to a child, often more than the donor can imagine, so I want to thank every single person in East Sussex who packed an Operation Christmas Child shoebox."
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Weather for Eastbourne
Saturday 26 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 13 C to 23 C
Wind Speed: 23 mph
Wind direction: East
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 11 C to 20 C
Wind Speed: 14 mph
Wind direction: South east
