Did you know that the name ‘Boxing Day’ is believed to originate from the fact that boxes of collections that had been made for the poor were distributed and opened on the day after Christmas? Many people still see Christmas as a time for giving.
Charities often ask for donations of shoeboxes, filled with presents, to be sent to some of the poorest people around the world. Some shoeboxes may be sent to elderly people living alone, whereas others may be sent to people who are homeless. For these people, the shoebox may be the only gift they would receive at Christmas.
There is a charity that works in our local area called Sewa Day, who are a non-profit, volunteer-run charity that operate a bi-weekly foodbank for families in Rushcliffe who need a little bit of extra help, as well as serving meals to the homeless in the city centre once a week. ‘Sewa’ means selfless service without any expectations. The charity’s goal is to help relieve hardships and bring a little joy to others.
For the past two years, the charity partnered with another local charity, Communities Working Together, and wrapped, packed, and distributed over 1,300 shoeboxes to vulnerable people in our community. The gifts went out to homeless people, young carers, care leavers, children on free school meals, survivors of domestic violence and teenagers in need.
Alongside the many volunteers who helped pack all these shoeboxes, the charities have been sponsored by many businesses for donations and funds, with schools also participating to wrap 1,300 boxes, all to go out in time for Christmas.
This year, for a third year, volunteers plan to pack over 1,000 shoeboxes again and request the support of community groups, local clubs, businesses, and schools, to all get involved in wrapping shoe boxes or collecting donations of brand-new items.
Every little bit helps, and no donation is considered too small. The boxes will be wrapped and distributed on 9th and 10th December, and the charities are appealing for donations before 5th December. The charities are happy to collect donations directly, or they can be dropped at one of their many drop off points in the City and County. Please see the social media links below, for a list of items that can be donated.
Should you want to contact the charities to get involved or for further information, you can contact them via:
Phone: Hetvi 07581 422 396 Rani 07739 296 582. Email: [email protected]
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100064421090031
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/communities_working_together or https://www.instagram.com/sewadaynotts