A CHARITY is encouraging Dorset people to make shoe boxes full of presents for needy children this Christmas.

Operation Christmas Child, which sends shoeboxes filled with gifts and toys to vulnerable children in Eastern Europe, Africa and Haiti, celebrates its 20th birthday this year.

Peter and Eileen Ivermee run the Dorset volunteer teams for the operation, which is run as part of the Samaritan’s Purse charity.

Mr Ivermee said: “At a time when the universality of Child Benefit in the UK is being debated, we would encourage everyone to consider the universality of what Christmas means, especially to a child, and help us benefit as many children as possible this year.

“No matter what we are going through, individually or as a nation, we believe it is important to recognise our ability to help those less fortunate than ourselves, especially children.”

He added: “Most of the children in the operation have never received a present in their lives.

“Most look at the shoebox and give it back, they have no concept of what a gift is.

“The most important message of Operation Christmas Child is that somebody, somewhere cares about them.”

Last year, 24,000 people in Dorset donated a shoebox to the scheme and this year organisers hope to beat that figure. The Samaritan’s Purse charity helps to build houses for people in vulnerable conditions and has just finished building 10,000 homes for the victims of the Haiti earthquakes.

People are advised to fill the gift boxes with soft toys, jigsaws, pens and pencils, notebooks, toothpaste, hair clips, scarves, hats and gloves.

There will be 32 drop off points for the boxes in Dorset including the Old Rooms Inn on Cove Road, Weymouth, Shoe Zone on St Mary’s Street, Budmouth Community Sports Centre on Chickerell Road and Stead and Simpson on South Street, Dorchester.

The boxes can be dropped off between November 2 and November 18.

For more information call the Operation Christmas Child Helpline on 0870 011 2002 or visit the website at wwww.operationchristmaschild.org.uk