Operation Christmas Child, which donates shoeboxes full of goodies to poverty-stricken children at Christmas, has opened its warehouse in Shropshire.

The project, which is one of the UK’s leading annual children’s charity projects, is back in the county in a bid to smash last year’s total of nearly 12,000 shoeboxes. Donations are already starting to pile up.

The charity, which marks its 20th anniversary this year, has found a warehouse in Hortonwood, Telford, where more than 70 volunteers are working flat out to get the presents delivered.

This year, the gift-filled shoeboxes will be sent to Crimea, Kyrgyzstan, Romania, Ukraine and Zimbabwe.

Elaine Udakis, who is organising the Telford warehouse, said donated boxes had already started to flood in.

“To see these children’s faces when they are given a present is unbelievable,” said Mrs Udakis.

“So many boxes are packed with such love and care and most of these children have never received a present in their lives.

“We are extremely grateful to Cherwell Tobacco which has given us the warehouse and the appeal is going from strength to strength.

“Donating a box is a fantastic thing for someone to do and we are so grateful to everyone. We have a list of churches and schools to pick up more boxes and so it is going very well.”

The campaign will run until November 26.

Anyone who wishes to donate a box can call Mrs Udakis on (01952) 247345 or visit www.operation christmaschild.org.uk

Organiser Zoe Gregg said: “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.

“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.”

By Jason Lavan