Christmas all wrapped up

Staff, pupils and parents at our Preparatory School have got Christmas all wrapped up for those in need, and have filled ninety seven shoeboxes with gifts and presents to be distributed to those less fortunate than themselves. Over the past month, girls have been wrapping shoeboxes in Christmas paper, then filling them with carefully chosen gifts. The boxes will be distributed to children and families in poverty by charity Blythswood Care.

Teacher Mrs Pam Ferguson, who has co-ordinated the appeal, said “I am just delighted by the response from our girls again this year. As well as putting considerable time and effort into making the shoeboxes, girls have volunteered to come along at lunch and break times to help me wrap, label and sort the boxes. They’ve been so thoughtful, and I’ve been really inspired by the care they’ve taken to help others”.

Head of the Preparatory School Mrs Kathryn Ebrahim said “this is such a super tradition at Kilgraston, and very much in line with our goals of thinking of others and helping those less fortunate than ourselves. The sending off of our shoeboxes marks the beginning of our festive season here at Kilgraston, and this really is what Christmas is all about”.

Blythswood Care is a Christian charity offering practical help for those in need. In addition to collecting filled shoeboxes at Christmas, they offer relief and development aid and deliver social projects to people in Europe, Africa and Asia. This year marks the 21st anniversary of Blythswood running the shoebox appeal, and over 1.7 million boxes have been donated and distributed through the years. The boxes will be distributed to people in poverty in Albania, Bulgaria, Hungary, Kosovo, Moldova, Pakistan, Romania and Serbia.