SOME FINAL STATISTICS AND THANKS

Thank you all for reading the blog. I am sure you will want to join me in thanking Jenny Winter for all her hard work in putting the blog together. When you were all leaving the warehouse to go home for a hard earned rest (or to wash soft toys, or wrap shoeboxes, or buy soap!), Jenny was rushing home to write the blog. She was greatly encouraged by all your feedback.

People read the blog from 13 countries around the world. Not surprisingly the vast majority were from the United Kingdom. However we also had readers from USA, Canada, Germany, France, Spain, Ireland, China, Philippines, Denmark, Sweden, Isle of Man and Australia.

Most entered using their computer, but 10% used their iPads and 10% used their phones. Most came via the blogspot address, but we also had a lot of people finding us on Facebook and the Samaritan's Purse web-site.

....and, more importantly, our final number of shoeboxes sent from the GU postcode area was 14,751, that's 14,751 happy children.

The number was nearly 10% down on last year when our final total was 16,326, and was similar to reductions elsewhere in the country.

The Final Despatch for 2012

Well Monday was THE final day. The day the lorry came and was packed up by our trusty volunteers ready to start its journey to Bosnia. However, first we had more shoeboxes, Ellie and Steve arrived with even more. They have collected so many over the three weeks and you can see the delight on people's faces as they hand their precious shoeboxes over.

 Ellie and Steve on their collections.

Poor Carolyn sadly could not make it, as she was still unwell which is a shame with this being her last year heading up the GU operation. After her trip to New Zealand next year she will no doubt be back to be part of the team. Heather claims she can't swim but with Carolyn's absence this year she was truly thrown in at the deep end in taking on one of the key roles. She kept afloat admirably. 

Heather 

STOP PRESS Honeymoon in Bosnia, yes this bride and groom were found all cosy in a shoebox. Today they leave to go on their journey together, it can therefore only be their honeymoon. Whether they were put there or are stowaways we wish them well for their future lives together in their new home. 

So the lorry arrives and with so many helpers it took only an hour to load up and in our usual fashion it is packed so that not even a cigarette paper can be put between the cartons. How many cartons you may ask? ...... 1013 which equates to 10,314 shoeboxes to be added to our earlier consignment which is making its way to Kyrgyzstan as I write. No wonder we are proud of ourselves. 

Every year we have a collection of goodies for our driver who is normally from Eastern Europe. This year was no exception and we managed with everyone's generosity to have, not one, but two boxes for him, ranging from baked beans to luxury chocolate biscuits, Being quite young (his own words) too young he thought to be married, he didn't have a wife and children to take the goodies back to. We are sure he will share with his family as there is so much there. 

POSTSCRIPT: Hot off the press! One of our volunteers, Malcolm Gates, is featured in this week's Alton Herald after he make a shoebox collection from Andrews Endowed School in Holybourne, where he was a pupil many years ago.

Thank you to everyone who took part this year, gave their time and effort to support such a worthwhile cause. See you all next year!

..

Nearly Done and Packing Up

Well, it has really been a fantastic three weeks. Everyone has worked really hard but has also enjoyed every moment of it. We have seen old friends and made new ones along the way.

Marianne popped in too, at a very useful time!










When at the start we thought shoebox numbers would be well down we find we are not far off  last year's total. However, although we are tired we feel extremely proud of our worthwhile achievement and it is sad too to be packing up and saying those goodbyes.




Sad to see the tables once buzzing with people chatting and full of boxes are now empty and bare.

Happy to see all those cartons ready packed up full to bursting with shoeboxes waiting for the lorry to arrive on Monday, when it will be packed to the brim and start the long journey to Bosnia.

Sad to see the pile of shoeboxes that did not get covered and filled with goodies, they look like that discarded Christmas tree you see in late January where a month before was loved and decorated now abandoned and totally redundant.








The lorry arrives on Monday and that will be the end of this years blog, thank you for taking the time to log in and read about Operation Christmas Child in the GU area. Thank you for all of you who helped make it happen by coming along to work and making up shoeboxes.