THE kind hearted ladies of Fairplace Wives and Friends Group have been busy wrapping gifts early this year to ensure poverty stricken youngsters receive a present at Christmas.

The group met at Fairplace Church to pack shoeboxes with Christmas gifts on behalf of the Samaritans’ Purse Operation Christmas Child appeal. Since 1990, more than 100-million boys and girls in over 130 countries have received shoebox gifts thanks to Operation Christmas Child.

Each shoebox is filled with gifts including hats, mittens and scarves knitted by members of the church and people in the community, toys including knitted hand puppets, soap and flannel, toothpaste and toothbrush, pens, paper and a cuddly toy.

The 493 boxes put together by the ladies have now gone to Exeter to be put into cartons along with 100 other boxes from the community. It is thought this year’s boxes will be going to children in Belarus.

The ladies expressed thanks to everyone who contributed in any way including monetary gifts to help with transport costs.