GENEROUS people in and around Wellington are being thanked by Operation Christmas Child for their kindness in donating hundreds of gift-filled shoeboxes for vulnerable children.

Teams of Operation Christmas Child volunteers at the charity's processing centres in Bath, Ilminster and Melksham checked and loaded the shoeboxes for their journey to Belarus, Kenya, Liberia, Romania and Serbia.

The shoeboxes, packed with toys, educational items, sweets and other small gifts, will bring Christmas joy to children who are living in difficult conditions in orphanages, children's homes, street shelters and hospitals, or perhaps with their family but in conditions of poverty.

Regional Manager for Operation Christmas Child, Roger Fenton, said: "People here have been brilliant. Times are quite tough for many, but they have still gone out of their way to pack a shoebox."