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School books on their way to needy children
School books on their way to needy children
3rd November 2006
The annual Operation Christmas Child appeal, which organises for shoeboxes filled with gifts to
be sent out to needy children across Eastern Europe, has received a boost from a Trowbridge Company.
The Consortium, in Canal Road, has donated four pallets' worth of school exercise books, which
were destined for the rubbish bin.
Judith Whalley, who coordinates the Operation Christmas Child appeal in Wiltshire, said:
"You should have seen us when we found out - we were almost doing a tribal dance. We thought
we'd died and gone to heaven."
"We tried to count them and just had to give up, there were so many."
The company, which sells stationery and other products for use in schools, decided to make the
donation after they had an open day to sell off damaged stock.
Melanie Teal, chief executive, said: "A lady came to buy some of our books who was involved with
Operation Christmas Child and mentioned how much they would appreciate these kind of things."
The books came from pallets that had been ripped open but they were undamaged themselves.
The Company tries to repackage most of this kind of stock but sometimes they donate it to charities
instead.
Melanie Teal said "We'd much rather it goes to a useful home rather then be wasted"
"There is always this kind of stock available so we'd like to carry it on and help out in the future."
Chris Hubbard, head of the charity committee at The Consortium, said: "We just thought it
would be a good idea to put it to a good cause."
Mr Hubbard dropped in to the office of the Wiltshire Times to find out how to get in touch
with the charity and offer them the books.
Some of the books will now be put into the boxes to be sent out to children in Eastern Europe in
time for Christmas and the others will be donated directly to schools in Liberia.
Ms Whalley said: "There are children even in Eastern Europe, only a couple of hours away by plane,
who cannot go to school because they do not have books."
"This will mean so much to them."
Source: Wiltshire Times