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Skip Navigation Links Home > Corporate > Press Release > 2006 Press Releases > 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