This Christmas, you can relieve the pressure on struggling people across Merseyside by donating to the Shoebox Full of Love appeal.
The appeal provides gifts, which are all donated by the entire Merseyside community.
Founder Siobhan Redmond explained: “We ask people to fill a shoebox or gift bag with life’s little essentials and treats. They then take their donations to their local drop-off point.”
The drop-off points are provided by kind members of the community offering their premises to help, and are located across Merseyside. “That’s so it is easier for donors to take part,” says Siobhan, 33, from Huyton, known as Vorny.
“Shoebox Full of Love is a community led Christmas appeal to provide gifts and love to our homeless and vulnerable friends, adults and children across Merseyside at a time that they may feel most alone,” she added..
Vorny works alongside two volunteers, Sarah and Lauren, to run the appeal each year. Both volunteers must take time off from their own careers and families in order to help out.
“They are the most incredible, selfless people…” Vorny says of her Christmas helpers.
“I started the appeal in the first place was to try and do something nice at Christmas time. I wanted to put a smile on the faces of those who would not usually have much to smile about, especially at Christmas time.”
“It’s one of my favourite parts of Christmas,” volunteer Sarah says about the appeal.
Since launching in 2013, the appeal has provided well over 50,000 bags/boxes, with Vorny not wanting to even hazard a guess as to the real amount!
The appeal aims to help everybody who needs the aid, both with gifting and also in offering signposting to other organisations where possible.
Throughout the year, the appeal tries to take some of the pressure off of the year-round organisations so that they can continue to do their work without the worry of providing for all.
The response to the appeal, in the words of the founder, has been “completely and utterly unbelievable, each and every year. The people of Merseyside are truly one of a kind”.
- To learn more, visit Shoebox Full of Love Appeal’s Facebook page here
Featured image (c) Shoebox Full of Love used with permission
