
Life

Share
17th October 2019
10:00am BST


“You’re giving someone something who doesn’t have that much, and for them to have something else at that time of year is a good feeling.”
2019 marks the 10th anniversary of the Team Hope Shoebox Appeal, a drive that encourages children to think about those less fortunate than them around the festival season.
The boxes are collected across the country and eventually distributed to children in need in Africa and eastern Europe. This year, the charity are hoping to collect their two millionth box - a major milestone that can only be achieved by the kindness of those who fill the boxes, and the selflessness of those who volunteer with the charity each year. One of those people is Debbie Maha from Westmeath. For the past few years, she has been working with Team Hope coordinator Alison Murphy, sorting through boxes before they get sent off - and even doing a bit of busking with her ukulele group to drum up support for the drive. At the end of last month, she and five others took to Longford Shopping Centre in aid of the cause. They sang, they played, and they gave out leaflets and posters encouraging the public to get involved and fill their own shoeboxes.“It’s a bit of fun," she says. "The music gets people’s attention and it gets a bit of traction that way.
"It’s a chance to talk to people, get the message out there. A lot of people don’t actually know what the charity is so it’s a great way to tell people what we’re doing it for and about all the wonderful work Team Hope do.
You can find out more about the Team Hope shoebox drive here, and how to fill your box here.