Yeovil College students give generously for Christmas

'A' Level students at Yeovil College have collected more than 80 boxes for the Samaritan's Purse Operation Christmas Child campaign, exceeding their target of 50 boxes.

Staff and students filled shoe boxes with a variety of gifts and practical items which will be distributed to needy youngsters in hospitals, orphanages, refugee camps, homeless shelters and impoverished areas in Europe.

Rebecca Cohen (17) of Yeovil helped lead the project this year, she said: "Our tutor, Wendy Jones, encouraged us to help with the collection and we were all really glad to get involved.

"A lot of us used to take part in it when we were at school, so we were all really pleased when we found out that Yeovil College supported the campaign too.

"We like it because it doesn't cost too much to do, it's really easy and it's fun! Best of all, it can really change someone else's Christmas.

"We would love to be able to visit one of the places the gifts go to one day so we can see the children's faces as they open the parcels."

Tutor and collection organiser Wendy Jones added: "We're absolutely delighted with the students continued enthusiasm for this particular project.

"Every year, we decide a target number of boxes and every year we exceed our target. We're very grateful to the students, staff and their families for their generosity and for being willing to get involved."

The boxes will be collected from Yeovil College and taken to the Operation Christmas Child Warehouse in Chard where they will be checked before being sent on to Bosnia.