THE first lorry is packed and ready to go and will take gift-filled shoeboxes to the Ukraine in the first week of December for Operation Christmas Child.

Kay Durrant will also make a long journey to Eastern Europe on December 14 with some of the boxes.

She works at Leekes in Melksham, and the store has sponsored her for the five-day trip.

Manager Paul Collier presented her with a £1,000 cheque last week, which will cover costs, and pay for a feeding project in the Crimea.

Mrs Durrant has been an Operation Christmas Child volunteer for eight years and is looking forward to handing out boxes and seeing the delight on children's faces.

She said: "It'll be better than winning the lottery."

Leekes is planning to sponsor another volunteer next year.

St Mary's Primary School, Broughton Gifford, collected 50 shoeboxes for the project.

Teacher Jennifer Riddle said: "This is a tremendous amount as we only have 65 pupils.

"The children really enjoyed putting the boxes together as they realise they are going to children like themselves.

"My class was astounded children in other countries valued things like paper and pencils things we take for granted."

The United Reform Church in Chippenham has collected more than 1,000 boxes from across the community.

Collections in the town have raised £1,500 to transport them to their destinations in Eastern Europe.

Although the deadline for shoeboxes has passed, people can still drop them off at designated drop off points for the next week.

Organiser Judith Whalley said: "People can bring them to the warehouse in Melksham between 1pm and 5pm Monday to Friday and 10am to 5pm on Saturday.

Next Friday, a service will be held at the Baptist Church in Melksham at 7pm, when boxes will be blessed.

Drop-off points for your shoeboxes

The following drop-off points are still accepting shoeboxes but hurry!

Melksham: Town Hall; Alldays, Pembroke Road.

Bradford on Avon: Library, Bridge Street.

Chippenham: Gazette & Herald; Safeway, West Cepen Way; United Reform Church, Emery Lane.

Devizes: Gazette & Herald.

Trowbridge: Wiltshire Times.

Warminster: Northfield Toyota Garage, Victoria Road.

Westbury: Coopers Country Markets, Edward Street; Triton Gallery, High Street; David Mason, Edward Street.

And... all branches of Kwik Fit, and the Operation Christmas Child warehouse in Strattons Walk, Melksham.