89,000 Shoeboxes Donated to 2022 Campaign

Wednesday January 11 2023

Seven-year-old Ilia, in Chernihev, northern Ukraine, opens his shoebox

Blythswood Care has thanked supporters for the response to its 2022 Shoe Box Appeal.

Nearly 89,000 gift-filled boxes were donated to the appeal, a rise of seven per cent on the previous year.

Filled with small, practical items such as toiletries, stationery and clothing, the individually-wrapped boxes have been distributed in schools, hospitals, orphanages and care homes, and to households in very low income communities. Many have gone to people affected by the war in Ukraine. 

 “This year we were especially encouraged by the response of supporters within Scotland,” says Blythswood’s head of projects, Finlay Mackenzie.  “Overall we were seven percent up on last year. The extra boxes allowed us to send three lorry-loads instead of two to Ukraine, around 16,000 boxes.

“Our co-workers there are trying to help people there in incredibly difficult circumstances, displaced from their homes and separated from husbands and fathers by war. 

“We have also sent boxes to Albania, Bulgaria, Hungary, Kosovo, Moldova, Romania and Serbia.

“At a time when everyone is concerned with rising household bills at home, it was a terrific response to our appeal.  We are so grateful to everyone who filled a box and to our volunteers around the UK who assisted with collection and checking.”

2022 was the 30th year of Blythswood’s Shoe Box Appeal, and brought the total number of gift boxes delivered to 2.65 million. 

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