CARING students have created boxes of festive cheer to help make a brighter Christmas for underprivileged children.
Pupils at Northallerton College showed early Christmas spirit by donating gifts and packing them into dozens of shoeboxes to be sent to children in Romania.
The gift wrapped boxes, which will be delivered to the towns of Simeria and Aiud, were collected by children’s worker Jen Holder, of the New Life Baptist Church, and will be driven to Romania for distribution in time for December 25.
“This is the seventh year that students at Northallerton College have very generously donated shoeboxes to our appeal,” said Jen.
“Getting involved in the appeal gives students the chance to really help children who otherwise would not have such a happy Christmas and it also makes them think about other people across the world that may not be as fortunate as themselves.
“Seeing a child open a box is absolutely magical – some don’t know what to do, as they have never had a gift before and some take out and hold each item one by one and then put them back as if they are the most precious things in the world.”
The annual appeal asks students to wrap a simple shoebox in festive paper and fill it with small toys, games, sweets, colouring books, scarves, gloves, pens, pencils, toiletries and other items appropriate for either babies, small children, teenagers or adults.
Student Hannah Bowman, 16, of Thirsk, who filled a box for a baby, said: “I thought that a lot of people would be packing boxes for older children so I decided to do one for a really small child.
“I packed a dummy and some toys and a lot of toiletries. I felt that it was really important to get involved and contribute to the appeal to help other people who do not have the things which many of us take for granted.”
Esme-Marie MacAdam, 16, of Langthorpe added: “I filled three boxes one for a boy, one for a girl and one for a baby.
“It makes me feel so upset that there are children in the world who get nothing for Christmas that I wanted to do a little bit extra to help. It really makes you appreciate your own life and everything you have.”
