A Reflective Farewell

In June 1993 I had an interview for an office placement for the charity Operation Christmas Child and as it was unpaid, I got the job.


OCC was made up of the brilliant and remarkable people who seemed to believe in me from day

In Belarus Dec 2012, my last OCC trip - with fellow blogger
Michelle Pannell  - photo Jonty Wilde

one. The following year I was employed by OCC and when it was taken over by Samaritan's Purse in 1994/95, they kept me on. Although I did everything from marketing to fundraising and running the yearly conference, mostly I looked after the volunteers - Representatives as we called them then – writing the Stop Press newsletter to them ­­­­­­filling it with human interest stories garnered from staff who had been overseas which I knew were so popular.

I worked with so many remarkable characters who seemed to flourish in the informal yet thriving atmosphere at Wrexham. Too numerous to mention - (I am bound to miss someone off the list) they all had something to give and add to the mix. Myself and that early team sat around the kitchen table in the Wrexham warehouse and laid the foundations of what the shoebox campaign is today with age groups and boy/girl stickers, leaflet with an envelope attached for the donation. Cartons were introduced for each category of shoebox for easier distribution.

 The Big planes – the Antotov 124 were used to deliver the shoeboxes for many years. When the plane left from Liverpool airport hundreds of children were encouraged onto the runway to see them off – hard to imagine that happening now! At one send off all the senior staff had flown on the plane and the only staff member available to talk to journalists was me. My sister (who lives abroad) was astonished to see her little sister on the Sky News that evening.

Thursday 28th March was my last day of my employment with SP. I leave a charity which is very different from those early days. No longer focussing of the delivery of aid, but carrying out sustainable interventions that allow people to develop and keep their dignity by helping themselves.

But shoeboxes remain at the core of it. Although the 'real world' of NGOs may view OCC with rather a critical eye, I think that is because they don’t see the whole picture – not just overseas but in the UK as well. OCC means different things to people, but for me it teaches our children about giving. Of course, some shoeboxes are given out and instantly forgotten, or not appreciated or misunderstood….but some of them - we will never know how many - have done something special and life changing.

As the charity has developed so have I.

So thank you Samaritan’s Purse, you have given me the best most fulfilling job anyone could wish for. I have learned so much, travelled the world and gained many skills. I am now equipped to get on with the next portion of my life.

 Writing this, I have realised that I have far too much to relate about OCC for just one post, so I will continue to record my memories here. You might like to continue to read and comment on them….