TWO women from Ludlow have again come up trumps in helping to bring a little cheer into the lives of poor children in other parts of the world.

Margaret Edwards and Jean Parker have been finishing off the last few boxes for the Samaritans Purse Operation Christmas Child.

Margaret and Jean would like to thank everyone who have supported and donated to the cause this year which saw 756 boxes sent from Poyners in Ludlow.

It is the 13th year they have supported the campaign where they have sent over 10,000 boxes in that time.

Margaret and Jean started helping the appeal in 2004.

Items that go into the boxes can include simple toys and everyday items like tooth brushes and stationary.

This involves sending a shoe box with simple gifts and small toys to children in other parts of the world who would get little or nothing at Christmas.

Since 1990, more than 146 million children in over 150 countries have experienced God’s love through the power of simple shoebox gifts from Operation Christmas Child.

Operation Christmas Child is a project of Samaritan’s Purse, a Christian international relief organisation.

Its mission is to provide local partners around the world with shoeboxes filled with small toys, hygiene items, and school supplies as a means of reaching out to children in their own communities.

The charity ships these simple gifts outside the United Kingdom to children affected by war, poverty, natural disaster, famine, and disease.

It was started in the United Kingdom in 1990 by Dave and Jill Cooke. T

Three years after this beginning, the Wales-based shoebox gift project merged in a partnership with Samaritan’s Purse, allowing them to share 20 years of expertise in relief and aid work with the project, and expand the reach of the shoebox gifts to more than 28,000 children that year.

Since 1993, Operation Christmas Child has delivered gift-filled shoeboxes to over 146 million children in more than 100 countries.

For Jean Parker and Margaret Edwards the work of putting together the boxes carries on throughout the year.

Shortly after the start of the New Year they will begin the task of getting the boxes. As well as individuals who help to fill the boxes there is also support from local businesses.