Church-goers and volunteers are calling on the community to donate shoeboxes full of gifts to be shipped off to those children who might not have something to open this Christmas.

Operation Christmas Child (OCC), which is organised by the international relief charity Samaritan’s Purse, is looking to collect 8,000 shoeboxes from people living in the AL and WD postcodes.

St Mark’s Church in Colney Heath is just one of the district’s drop-off points. Jo James, who is a member of St Mark’s and is running its OCC collections, is urging people to head down and donate.

When asked what people should be including in their shoeboxes, Jo said: “Toiletries, soap, flannels, toothbrushes, sweets, but not chocolate because it might melt. Stationary, pens, pencils, rubbers, notebooks; hats, gloves and scarves, games, balls, cars, any musical instruments.

“And teddy bears. They all love a teddy bears, whatever their age.”

Donated shoeboxes are to be shipped across the world to places including Eastern Europe, Africa and the Middle East. For more information on the project or to find your nearest drop-off point, click here and search for Operation Christmas Child.