TWO South Ayrshire churches are supporting a special shoe box drive that helps people in need - and one local girl has already collected more than 60 boxes of items.
Each year Prestwick South Parish Church and Craigie Symington Parish Church support the Blythswood Care Shoe Box Appeal.
After initial appeals from the churches, they received approximately 200 donated shoe boxes, each holding much needed items like socks, shampoo and toys.
In addition, £482 was donated collectively by both congregations to help with the transportation costs of the shoe boxes as they make their journey to countries in eastern Europe.
Rev Kenneth C. Elliott, the minister at the two linked churches, told the Advertiser: "Special mention must be made of Emmie Mitchell, who each year sets out to put together as many shoe boxes as possible.
"Incredibly, this year Emmie brought 64 shoe boxes to Prestwick South, one more than her total in 2021.
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"It's wonderful to know that as Christmas approaches many adults and children in countries like Ukraine, Albania, Bulgaria, Hungary, Kosovo, Moldova, Romania and Serbia will benefit from the kindness and generosity of people in Ayrshire.
"Amazing to think that a shoe box with perhaps a bottle of shampoo, or a pair of socks, a notepad, a small toy, a bag of sweets – things we take for granted will seem like luxuries to people living in poverty."
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