ON behalf of Samaritan s Purse International and Huntingdon Methodist Church we would like to express our thanks to all those individuals and organisations, including schools, clubs and churches, who participated in this year s Operation Christmas Child a

ON behalf of Samaritan's Purse International and Huntingdon Methodist Church we would like to express our thanks to all those individuals and organisations, including schools, clubs and churches, who participated in this year's Operation Christmas Child appeal.

Altogether 19,230 shoeboxes were collected from the PE postcode area - an area stretching from St Neots in the south to Hunstanton one side of the Wash and beyond Skegness on the other side. Two containers, each holding 8,000 boxes, have been despatched to Swaziland, with the balance going to either Serbia or Kyrgyzstan.

Approximately 4,000 of these boxes were checked and sealed in Boston, Hunstanton and Downham Market, from where they were brought to Huntingdon to be sealed in despatch cartons. A further 2,436 were fully processed in St Neots, while the remainder were dealt with in Huntingdon by 113 volunteers who between them recorded 344 working sessions.

When the volunteer drivers and behind-the-scenes administration volunteers are included, almost 150 local people, as well as the hundreds who produced the filled shoeboxes, have given of their time to send a gift to a needy child overseas, possibly the only present that child will receive.

On behalf of those children we would like to say a very big thank you. Your love and concern are very much appreciated.

FRANCES AND ALAN HARDING

Area Co-ordinators,

PE postcode area

Samaritan's Purse

Wyton