This year’s Christmas Shoebox collection for Operation Christmas Child has been completed and has been highly successful.

A total of 6,115 gift-filled shoeboxes have now been sent to needy children in Belarus.

For many of these children this is the only gift they will receive at Christmas On behalf of these children we would like to say a massive thank you to so many people and businessses in the Ryedale area who have filled shoeboxes and been most generous in giving donations to pay for the transport costs.

Shoeboxes have been filled by individuals, schools, youth groups, churches and many others.

Ros Dyson, voluntary area coordinator North Yorkshire Coast area