THE community of Dolau can bring a smile to the faces of vulnerable children across eastern Europe this Christmas by taking part in the Shoebox Appeal 2024.

Trinkets and gifts can be dropped off at Dolau Community Hall, which is working in collaboration with Teams4U – an organisation that runs a nationwide shoebox appeal each year to provide Christmas gifts to vulnerable children and families.

“Dolau Community Hall is going to be a collection point for a shoebox appeal run by Teams 4 U where all shoe boxes will be sent to a vulnerable child, or family, through schools, nurseries, hospitals and orphanages in Ukraine, Moldova, Georgia, Bosnia and Romania,” read a post on the Dolau Community Hall Facebook page.

“It would be great if you are able to donate a shoe box. Please could you drop your boxes off at Dolau Hall before Sunday, November 22, with a label to state the age and gender the box is for.”

OTHER NEWS:

Teams4U was founded in Wrexham in 2006 by Dave Cooke – whose family actually came up with the original idea of the ‘Christmas Shoebox’ more than 30 years ago.

The idea was to ask children in the UK to fill shoeboxes with stocking fillers for Romanian orphans.

In 2013, Teams4U launched its own national shoebox programme, bringing Christmas gifts to deprived children in eastern Europe.

In 2015, the organisation celebrated the 25th anniversary and returned to Cluj-Napoca, in Romania, to re-visit Dave’s original partner from 1990, Liviu Balas, and bring shoeboxes to the marginalised communities there.

The current need is still extraordinary and the power of the shoebox has never faded.

Like in 2023, this year the shoeboxes will be heading to Ukraine, Moldova, Georgia, Bosnia and Romania.


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Your shoebox will be given to a vulnerable child, or family, through schools, nurseries, hospitals and orphanages. The aim is that each box is given in relationship with the local community as part of a long-term commitment to these children.

Teams4U works with partners like the Red Cross to help find children that are most in need.

Information on requirements for the boxes can be found on the Teams4U website, just click https://shorturl.at/4MLyO.