Time to donate your Christmas shoe-boxes

JENNIFER Irwin and her hard-working team of volunteers are busy preparing to send thousands of shoe-boxes around the world for the annual Christmas appeal.

Jennifer has been organising the project in Ballymote for more than 20 years and is urging people to get their shoe-boxes in as soon as possible.

They are based in the former Ballymote Courthouse which is the drop-off point and the shoe-boxes can be dropped into pick-up points around Sligo town too, including the offices of the Sligo Champion on Markievicz Road.

Jennifer said since the project began last week, people have been busy sending their shoe-boxes in.

She said a lot of people ask what sort of items to put in the boxes and she explains that the basic things such as toothbrushes, toothpaste, pyjamas etc can be included along with copy books and toys, to make a less well off child’s Christmas a happy one.

Last year the generous people of Sligo and Leitrim donated a total of 6,071 shoe-boxes which were transported to children in Kosovo.

Jennifer said people can come into the drop-off point in Ballymote mornings, afternoons and evenings between Monday and Friday. “We’re hoping to have as good a number this year, the response has been great so far.”

The Christmas shoe-box appeal originated in Wales and has since expanded to other countries.

“Last year’s boxes went to Kosovo, a lot of the time it’s mostly to Eastern European countries.”

People can include the likes of crayons, pens, copy-books, pyjamas, toiletry items and of course toys ahead of delivery at the end of November.

Keep an eye out for drop-off points around where you live.