A CHARITY drive to send shoeboxes full of goodies to youngsters in wartorn countries is under way - with hopes high of a fantastic response from Wyre Forest folk.

Operation Christmas Child is this year being co-ordinated in Wyre Forest by Lynn Price, who has taken over the reins from Julia Pittaway. She was organiser for 10 years but felt it was time to hand over to someone else.

Her successor, from Franche, Kidderminster, has helped out for several years and last Christmas joined a convoy delivering some of the 50,000 boxes collected in the West Midlands to youngsters in Romania.

"It was humbling to see such poverty but also such gratitude," said Mrs Price.

"It truly was a wonderful experience to see the smiles on the faces of these children. Many of them have nothing - one little girl said her favourite gift was a toothbrush as she had never had one of her own."

Recipients are orphans, homeless and disabled youngsters and children affected by war and severe poverty.

Items often included are a cuddly toy or doll, a puzzle or game, paper and pens, a greeting card, toothbrush and paste, soap, sweets and gloves, a scarf or a hat.

This year an army of knitters has been busy making woolly hats, and Mrs Price hopes there will be enough for every box.

Leaflets outlining the scheme can be collected from a host of locations including the Shuttle/Times & News office in Blackwell Street, Kidderminster, Thursfields Solicitors in Church Street and Trinity bookstore at Kidderminster's Trinity Methodist Church.

Boxes can be delivered to KwikFit in Churchfields, Kidderminster, while any organisation collecting several boxes can deliver them to the charity's temporary warehouse in Lisle Street, which has been donated by R and D Aggregates.

For details contact Mrs Price on 01562 637801.