Operation Christmas Child Shoebox Appeal 2026 – Donations Now Open
15/09/2026
Our Operation Christmas Child Shoebox Appeal is back for 2026 – and this year marks another very special milestone for Total Energy Services and our local community.
Since 2019, Holly Lamb at Total Energy Services has been organising our local Operation Christmas Child shoebox collection, bringing together donations from customers, local residents, businesses and communities across Dorset, Somerset and Wiltshire.
Thanks to the incredible generosity of everyone who has supported the appeal over the years, we have now packed and sent more than 700 shoeboxes to children around the world.
And we’re doing it all again for Christmas 2026!
Help us fill shoeboxes for children this Christmas
Operation Christmas Child is an annual appeal run by Samaritan’s Purse, providing gift-filled shoeboxes to children around the world.
For children living through poverty, displacement, conflict and other difficult circumstances, receiving a shoebox filled with toys, school supplies and useful everyday items can provide a very special moment of happiness.
Each box is different, but behind every one is the same simple message: someone is thinking of you.
Having supported the appeal since 2019, we’ve seen first-hand just how generous our local community can be.
You don’t need to fill an entire shoebox to get involved, either.
Donate your items and we’ll do the rest
We try to make taking part in our local shoebox appeal as easy as possible.
Simply bring your donations to the Total Energy Services office in Blandford Forum and we will sort, pack and prepare the shoeboxes for you.
There’s no need to find a shoebox or buy everything needed to fill one.
You might donate a packet of colouring pencils, a toothbrush, a cuddly toy or some children’s gloves. We combine all of the individual donations we receive to create complete shoeboxes for different ages.
It means that even one small donation can become part of a very special Christmas gift for a child.
What can I donate to the Operation Christmas Child Shoebox Appeal?
There are lots of useful and fun items that can be donated.
Toys
Cuddly toys, dolls, toy cars and trucks, small balls, musical toys, plastic figures and animals, dinosaurs and other small toys.
School and educational items
Pencils, coloured pencils, pencil cases, notebooks, colouring supplies, stampers and other stationery.
Hygiene items
Toothbrushes, bars of soap, flannels, hairbrushes, combs, hair bands and hair accessories.
Clothing
Hats, gloves, mittens, socks, leggings and tops.
Good-quality second-hand items may also be useful where appropriate, so if you’re having a children’s clear-out this year, please think of us before throwing suitable items away.
We also love receiving handmade and knitted items, so if you’re a keen knitter or part of a local knitting or craft group and would like to contribute, we’d love to hear from you.
What can’t go in an Operation Christmas Child shoebox?
There are restrictions on what can be included in the boxes.
Please do not donate toothpaste, liquids, lotions, sweets or other food, or war-related toys and items.
If you’re unsure whether something is suitable, please contact Holly before dropping it off and we’ll be happy to help.
More than 700 shoeboxes sent since 2019
When we first became involved with Operation Christmas Child in 2019, we could never have imagined how much our local collection would grow.
Since then, more than 700 shoeboxes have been packed and sent, made possible by donations from people throughout our local communities.
Some people donate a complete bag of items, while others give us just one or two things. We’ve had people knit throughout the year, families encourage their children to choose gifts for another child, and customers drop donations into the office when they’re passing.
Every contribution matters.
It’s become something we look forward to organising each year, and we’re incredibly grateful to everyone who has helped us reach more than 700 boxes.
Can you help us make the 2026 appeal our biggest yet?
We’re now collecting donations for the 2026 Operation Christmas Child Shoebox Appeal, and we’d love as many local people as possible to get involved.
Whether you donate one item, have a children’s clear-out, pick up a few extra things while you’re shopping or spend your evenings knitting hats and scarves, we’d be delighted to receive your contribution.
Drop-off point:
Total Energy Services, Blandford Forum, Dorset
Contact Holly:
holly@totalenergy.co.uk
01258 472132
Together, let’s see how many more shoeboxes our community can send to children this Christmas.
