Fill a box for Operation Christmas Child

Operation Christmas Child, one of the UK's leading annual children's charity projects, is seeking support from people in Shropshire as it marks the 20th anniversary of its famous "shoebox" campaign.

The 2010 campaign is launched this week and runs until November 18. In 2009, more than 11,900 shoeboxes full of presents were given by individuals and groups in Shropshire.

The gift-filled shoeboxes were checked at the charity's processing centres in Shrewsbury, Telford, Hereford and Wrexham before being transported to Crimea, Kyrgyzstan, Romania, Ukraine and Zimbabwe.

"When the first gift-filled shoeboxes were delivered in 1990 to children living in terrible conditions in Romanian orphanages in the aftermath of the collapse of the Ceausescu regime, no-one really thought the campaign would still be going 20 years on," said Zoe Gregg, for Operation Christmas Child.

"However, it really caught people's imagination and the campaign has grown to help vulnerable children in a wide range of countries. Sadly, many tens of thousands of children are living in very challenging situations today, and the kindness of those who donate a gift-filled shoebox is every bit as important now as it was in 1990."

Anyone wishing to participate in this year's campaign should visit www.operationchristmaschild.org.uk or contact the Helpline on 0870 011 2002.