Local residents are being invited to spread festive cheer this Christmas by volunteering to donate a shoebox filled with gifts in aid of the homeless and victims of domestic abuse across Merseyside.
‘Shoebox Full of Love’ have launched an appeal for those who are most vulnerable, with famous Liverpudlians such as Sex and the City star Kim Cattrall and Gogglebox’s Leon and June Bernicoff helping out with spreading the message via retweets on Twitter.
The appeal, in conjunction with their plea for donations, also plans to schedule a meeting point for those interested in going the extra mile by taking to the streets to help personally hand out the shoeboxes on Tuesday 23rd December.
Vorny Redmond, who came up with the idea, told JMU Journalism: “I was just sitting in bed when me and a few mates decided to do the appeal ourselves, and since then, social media has seen it take off.
“The main aim is to put a smile on people’s faces who don’t have a lot at Christmas. I also think this can remove a lot of stigma. The response has been brilliant and everybody is really made up. I’ve always said that it’s not just me, it’s everybody involved.”
‘Shoebox Full of Love’ has received a warm reception from the public in its early stages, with their Facebook page having gathered over 3,000 ‘likes’, and many people are continuing to express an interest in taking part in donating for those less fortunate every day.
The appeal’s Facebook page contains an extensive list of places across Merseyside making themselves available as ‘drop-off’ points for shoeboxes, with ‘Shoebox Full of Love’ saying the deadline for donations is Monday 15th December.
For more information about the appeal, ‘Shoebox Full of Love’ regularly update their Facebook page which is called ‘Liverpool Homeless Christmas Shoebox Appeal’, or people can email them alternatively: [email protected]