November 2022 – Shoebox collection time and preparation for the Farm Animal Sanctuary Festive Fair
Link to Hope
If you haven’t already finished packing your shoe boxes, you’re running out of time. I like to take photos of mine as I pack them which always takes longer than I expect ! I’m also an area receiver so I also have to allow time to process the boxes I receive from other people.
Always remember to check that you aren’t adding something that is prohibited. (things like food, seeds, reading books etc.) If you are adding shampoo or shower gel make sure the top is securely fastened and possibly put Sellotape around the cap to reduce the risk of it leaking, or put in a plastic bag. We are encouraged to reduce packaging, but I tend to err on the side of caution and both seal the tops with Sellotape and put shampoo in a bag. I would hate for the shampoo to leak over any drawing pads or notebooks and ruin the paper.
The theme on the calendar for November is a photo and donation. I must admit that I don’t add a photo – I don’t particularly like having my photo taken, but I do stick a message onto the inside of the shoebox. (I use Google Translate to hopefully say Merry Christmas and Happy New year in the languages of the recipient countries.) I also add a Christmas card to each box with a message in English. The donation is an important part of process – helping towards the projects that are run throughout the year as well assisting the costs of transporting the boxes.
If you are running out of wrapping paper for your shoe boxes B&M have 10 metres for £1.50, or you could use brown paper and decorate it – if you’re not artistic just draw on swirls, or even paste some pictures from magazines, or you may have some Christmas snow spray stencils lurking in a cupboard, that you can use to draw an outline.
Have fun packing your shoeboxes and remember to remove as much packaging as possible. This is just some of the packaging removed before filling 25+ shoe boxes.
The Farm Animal Sanctuary
They are holding their Festive Fair on 10 December from 4:00pm – 7:00pm. Tickets are £3.00 for adults and £2.50 for under 14s. The fair will be held in the barns so wrap up warm.
Once my shoeboxes have been collected I will have to switch my efforts to making some Christmas items to sell at the Festive Fair to help raise funds for the Sanctuary. If you live within travelling distance of Evesham then please support the fair. They still need to raise funds to buy the land the sanctuary is based at, as well as the usual need to raise funds to pay for the feed, and veterinary care for all the animals. As with everything else prices are going up.
Bargain buys this month
I haven’t come across any bargains so far this month, but will update this if I come across any.
Tesco have now reverted back to 25p for the pack of 2 toothbrushes (they had gone up to 30p – still a bargain.) I’ve bought a few packs ready for next year’s shoe boxes 😊.