SilverRailers Spread Festive Spirit in Support of Operation Christmas Child
20/12/2022
Written by Frederic Kalinke
While the holiday season is a time for celebration, feasting and present-giving for many of us, it’s also a time to be thankful, give back, and offer support to those in need.
As part of our volunteer day initiative, SilverRailers Juliette Thorpe and Harriet Berwick swapped a day in the office for a day in the warehouse in support of Operation Christmas Child.
Operation Christmas Child is a campaign organised by Samaritan’s Purse International — an international relief and development organisation that supports communities in Africa, Eastern Europe and Central Asia. The campaign aims to bring joy to children across the world through the donation of fun-filled shoeboxes that are packed with festive goodies and daily essentials for those who need them most.
Small Boxes, Big Smiles.
A vital part of Operation Christmas Child takes place behind the scenes in the immediate weeks after National Collection Week. This year, Juliette and Harriet joined a team of volunteers at the Tonbridge processing centre in Kent to process thousands of lovingly-prepared shoeboxes.
Each box was generously donated by families across the UK and had to be checked before making its way to children across the world in time for Christmas. In particular, lots of this year’s boxes are heading to families in Ukraine. After a year of unimaginable hurt, these small tokens aim to create a sense of union between strangers and remind those in need that there are people out there who want to help.
“Giving back is what the spirit of Christmas is all about! I truly enjoyed this joyful day knowing I was sharing that joy with children in Ukraine in particular.”
-Juliette Thorpe, Senior Director at SilverRail
Whether it’s gifting toys to bring happiness to a child’s day, writing letters to inspire the next generation, or sending clothes to help with the cold winters, these small packages help to spread love and unity at this special, but often difficult, time of the year.
Want to take part in Operation Christmas Child next year?
Whether it’s donating shoeboxes, volunteering at a processing centre, joining the logistics team in your local areas or getting behind the wheel to join the Operation Christmas Child delivery team, there are many ways to make a difference at Christmas.
“Operation Christmas Child is something I feel strongly about and have been involved with in different ways since I was a child when we used to pack shoeboxes at school. Christmas is not a joyous occasion for all and many children go without presents. Giving kids presents, providing much-needed items, and hopefully, putting a smile on their faces for Christmas is wonderful. The South East sorting centre prepared nearly 50,000 boxes to send thanks to the kind donations and thoughtfulness of the general public.”
-Harriet Berwick, Senior UK Product Manager at SilverRail
If you’d like to learn more, head over to the Operation Christmas Child website to explore opportunities and find out how you can join Juliette, Harriet and thousands of other volunteers to spread joy at Christmas.
