The Mid Devon Star has teamed up with St Paul’s Pre-School in Tiverton and a leading charity to launch an appeal on behalf of children living in desperate conditions.

People throughout Mid Devon, especially children, are being asked to bring a little joy to the poor, suffering and sick through Operation Christmas Child.

St Paul’s Pre-School holds a shoebox appeal around this time every year and the Star is urging local residents to lend a helping hand.

For the next six weeks, the paper’s office in Bampton Street, Tiverton, will act as a drop-off point for shoeboxes filled with presents for children in countries such as Belarus, Bosnia, Kosovo, Rwanda, Sudan and, in particular, Afghanistan.

Diane Street, who runs St Paul’s Pre-School, said: “We encourage our children to think about other children who are worse off than themselves, and this appeal also helps them gain greater understanding of the world they live in.

“One of the drivers who collected our boxes last year actually went out with them. He said that one little boy unwrapped his present, took out a tube of Smarties and handed them out to other children – keeping only one for himself. It brings it home to you.”

The shoebox appeal is organised by Samaritan’s Purse, an international relief organisation. During the last decade the charity has distributed more than 13m shoebox gifts to children in 80 countries.

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