Shoebox project 2024
mon 11 - Fri 15 November
Update: Friday 15th November
A huge thank you to all who have contributed towards this year's Shoebox Project. We will be unveiling the total collected at our Shoebox Celebration service and will post that result here shortly after. Once again, a huge thanks to all involved, whether donating, collecting, sorting, or cartoning, we've had a hugely successful year, worthy of our 20 year shoebox collection anniversary as we also mark our 10 years partnering with Link to Hope.
It's that time of year again, it's shoebox season! This year we mark 20 years of running a shoebox project in Hitchin and our 10th year since moving to support Link to Hope - that we are where we are is a testament to the support you have continued to provide over the years! Collections from participating schools and local organisations are almost complete and sorting and cartoning is well underway in the church.
WAYS TO DONATE
We shall be sorting through donations at church on Saturday 2nd November. Please bring any knitting, spare shoeboxes, items to go into the boxes before this date, or between 10am and 12noon on the 3rd. If you can't make it to church, please get in touch below and we can arrange a collection. We are particularly looking for toothbrushes and toothpaste, small travel games, safety razors, and items for Dads (tape measure, screwdrivers, socks, bootlaces, etc)
Our shoebox sorting week is Monday 11 to Friday 15 November (dependent on shoebox numbers!) and will be delivered to Link to Hope HQ on Monday 18 November
19 years of shoeboxes in Hitchin
14,000+ shoeboxes collected and delivered
99% sorted at WRBC, saving thousands of hours for the charity
Have collected from other local collection hubs to reduce transportation
100+ volunteer team of sorters
22 schools
8 churches
3 organisations
The 'Jansel House' HMRC team
The 'King House' HMRC team
Countless individuals
thank you!
more about the PROJECT
When we first began the project, shoeboxes were prepared for Smile International but after a decade as one of their largest contributors and going out with them to deliver shoeboxes in Kosovo, the charity wound up operations in Eastern Europe to focus on its other areas. However, we realised how big a difference the shoeboxes made to the lives of the people receiving them as well the huge part they play in church life each year and so we found another charity that worked in a similar region, called Link to Hope. Despite our initial scale-back of operations as we sought a new charity, the people of Hitchin and beyond have continued to show their generosity and support for the Shoebox Appeal - having finished it's 19th year in the town!