Gloucester mum to help children in the Crimea

A mother from Quedgeley is expecting a rollercoaster of emotions when she travels to the Crimea to deliver presents to children.

Jenny Frost has been involved with Operation Christmas Child – which sends shoeboxes filled with gifts to poor children – since 2002, and for the first time, she will be visiting the orphans and vulnerable youngsters the campaign helps.

The 46-year-old said: "It all started when I had two bags of McDonalds toys in 2002 and I didn't know what to do with them. I thought they should go to a good home and I have been involved ever since.

"Although I think it'll be hard and I might be a bit upset it'll be great to see the good that the shoeboxes do. So I think it'll be a rollercoaster of big ups and downs."

Jenny, will be leaving her husband Andrew and two children Lydia, 12, and George, 11, to go to the Crimea, in Ukraine, from January 7 until 13.

She said: "I've been collecting for a while now, I collect anything and everything and so my attic is basically a warehouse and full of toys throughout the year. I'm hoping the visit and experience will spur me on to do more collecting in the future."

Jenny, who works as a teaching assistant at Beech Green Primary School, Quedgeley, said she has also been getting the pupils involved.

"I've managed to raise over £750 which was required to fund the trip. I did this through a variety of ways including wearing a filled shoebox hat for a whole week.

"I wore it to assembly and the children thought it was great. They're getting really involved and I hope it will inspire the children to make more shoeboxes this year. They've been collecting lots of items."

Items in the boxes can include soap, flannels, toothbrushes, hats, scarves, gloves, educational material, pencils, pens, crayons, paper, toys, sweets and £2 in the box, for transport costs. They can be handed in to Shoezone stores.