Ramblers pack for OCC

Here's a great story from Heather Dillon, one of our volunteers, showing how creating a mini-warehouse can be a great way to get people together to pack boxes. Thanks Heather.

The Mini Warehouse

"I attach a few photographs of my Ramblers Group - Godalming and Haslemere Ramblers - I led some walks around Wood St village and then the group came back to my house where Jenny Winter, OCC volunteer told them about the work of Operation Christmas Child and then they had the opportunity to make up some shoeboxes. You will see from the photos that I had a "mini-warehouse". In total 31 boxes were filled and £60.50 given in donations."

Happy Packers!

Recipe for setting up a warehouse

Today is best told in pictures - from an empty shell of a warehouse to a shoebox processing area filled and ready to go. Suffice to say there will be a lot of houses, lofts and garages with a great deal more space in them this evening. Roll on Monday - we are ready!!!!

Start with an empty warehouse and an empty kitchen

Sweep thoroughly

Add tables and chairs

Follow the layout plan

Add a few pictures and posters

Take delivery of 200+ shoeboxes

                                                     

Fill up the "filler" tables

Have a final check on the plan

and we're ready!

 Don't forget the banner outside!!

        See you all on Monday!!

              

Still to come: before and after - see the warehouse transformed

Ted's Day - Ted oversaw the delivery of the 1st shoebox

For all of today's photos click on the link below.

https://picasaweb.google.com/103588759400401245450/SetUpDay?authuser=0&authkey=Gv1sRgCLjQhZ2Y0ZOQQQ&feat=directlink

 

Spreading the word !

The foyer of Farnham library isn't the first place that you think of, when someone says OCC shoeboxes, but for 2 weeks in October, library goers could see a wonderful display of 2 different shoebox distribution trips located in prime position in the foyer.

Maureen Grew and Marianne Nicholson put together the display using photos from their respective distribution trips. Marianne had visited the Crimea and Maureen, Kyrgyzstan. Farnham library attracts many visitors as it is fully open 6 days a week and has lots of different groups using its facilities. It's an ideal place to spread the word!

Stories from Belarus

Jane at St Francis Church

OCC volunteers Steve and Ellie Shurville and Jane Turner ventured through the new Hindhead tunnel to attend a shoebox service at St Francis Community Church in Headley Down where they received a very warm welcome. This was a joyful time of fellowship and worship with the theme of the story of the Good Samaritan and the nature of blessings running through the service.
Pictures of Central Asia were shown at the start of the service to illustrate where this year's boxes were going. The Love in a Box video was shown and was followed by Jane's illustrated presentation of her
distribution trip to Belarus in 2010.

Her tales of the living conditions there and her pictures and recollections of handing out boxes to individual children living in difficult circumstances moved some of the listeners to tears. Humour was also not forgotten as Jane mentioned delivering some boxes by horse drawn sleigh and falling off it! Jane made it clear that, for her, the greatest blessing was to be able to hand over boxes to the children in person and to watch the joy in their faces as they discovered the treasures within. The fellowship at St Francis once again showed their commitment to blessing many children via OCC by providing 61 lovingly filled shoeboxes.

On your marks....!

The Team and Teddy prepare to set up

There was definitely a sense of "On your marks....!" last night as the team gathered to talk about setting up the warehouse on Friday with the tables, chairs, posters, fillers and of course the already collected boxes.

  

Carolyn shared a proposed layout of the warehouse and explained how the "flow" of unchecked boxes through to filled cartons will work. There's certainly not going to be any lack of space this year - in fact the team may need walkies talkies and roller skates to communicate and get around easily!

The trolleys that have been loaned by Tesco previously would definitely be a benefit and the team are thinking of asking Homebase for the loan of a couple of their flat bed trolleys. The more the merrier!

The Team with the warehouse plan

Debbie then talked about this blog and appealed for stories and pictures as they are available during the campaign. She also talked about the BBC's Britain in a Day event and suggested that the team could be involved and make a film around the set up process.

After all the general notices and information from Carolyn, Celia closed the meeting in prayer.

The team will meet again at the warehouse!!!

G I F T S on the radio!

Steve Shurville, OCC volunteer, was up bright and early on Thursday 3rd November as he was a guest on Nick Wallis' breakfast show on Radio Surrey. Steve had a 5 minute slot to talk about filling a shoebox for OCC.  He used the mnemonic GIFTS to help people remember what is suitable for well balanced box.
That's G for a gift or toy,  I for insulation (hat etc), F for a furry friend, T for toiletries and S for stationery.

Steve mentioned that some people like to do their own shoeboxes completely, whereas others might club together to provide the contents and then have a joint packing session. Either way results in wonderfully filled boxes that can then go on the next step of the journey.

Shoezone and Stead & Simpson were mentioned as ideal places to pick up an empty box and leaflet and also to drop off the filled box. Other drop off points are also available and can be found through the search facility on the OCC website.

Eleanor, Nick and Steve outside Radio Surrey

Let's hope lots of people heard Steve and will be inspired to pack a shoebox this year.

If you'd like to hear Steve's interview then follow the link and scroll through to 2 hours 53 mins. (available until Thurs 10th Nov)
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/p00l47pl/Surrey_Breakfast_with_Nick_Wallis_03_11_2011/

P,P,P Pick up a puppet!

Puppets, pencil cases, hats and bags were all on display at Cedar Court Care Home, Cranleigh last week, as the members of the Needles and Pins Group gathered to see the results of their year's work.

Puppets a plenty in the Jasmine Lounge

The group meets approximately twice a month for an afternoon of knitting, pom-pom making and general chat!   It's the group's second year of knitting for OCC and there's something for everyone to do. Some make the puppets and hats, whilst others knit squares that are turned into bags and pencil cases and those who prefer not to knit generally enjoy making pom-poms.

Annie and Violet with some of their creations

Gill Watson, Needles and Pins organiser said "It's amazing how much has been produced throughout the year. Everyone should be really proud of their efforts". But the fun isn't quite over for this year as Michael Gains, Activities Co-ordinator at Cedar Court will be organising a trip for the group to the warehouse during the campaign. So watch out - you may see these happy smiling faces again!