 and on running since last Christmas but nonetheless the roundabout this time of the year there's always reminders and the premise is so simple it's the shoeboxes that are gift-wrapped and they go to children facing poverty in 12 different countries across Africa and Eastern Europe. Now the reason that I mention all this is because the deadline actually is coming up fast and it is on the 10th of November. Ruth it's such a simple idea a shoebox you know wrapped in Christmas paper and then filled with presents and goes off to children you know who otherwise would have a much more miserable Christmas. Yeah it's a fantastic project it's been going here in Ireland for many many years and of course Donegal being one of the most generous counties in Ireland. We have shoebox centres all the way across Donegal. Are we really or are you just saying that? I believe it. No I think we are you know we have five centres across Donegal and team have always tell us we're you know one of the one of the hardest working counties in Ireland when it comes to the shoebox appeal. I think people know that even in times of struggle we have it so much better here than places around the world where people literally have nothing and our little gift can make such a difference. Yeah absolutely and it is a little gift I mean you don't expect people to be too generous but first of all can I ask you where do you know what countries like let's say here in Donegal would you know specifically what countries the boxes would go off to from here? We don't know for this year because until they actually get sent off we don't know. Last year though our Donegal boxes went to the country of Burundi in Africa so children really literally have very very little and our little gifts of of toothpaste and toothbrush and and copy books and pens they make such a difference. And they do make such a difference and you know I suppose it's a great project to get young children involved in and it helps them to appreciate all sorts of things and the fact that you know in many cases those are the sort of items that are going into the box makes makes us all I think just about how well off we are in comparison. What sort of things should we be putting in? I mean those are those are basics but you know but nice to put in we treat as well wouldn't it? Oh absolutely and the shoebox appeal have made it really easy because it's the four W's so it's something to wash that's your toothbrush and toothpaste or a bar of soap. Something to write which is a copper book and pen and something to wear which is often just a pair of socks or a woolly hat. Even in Africa a woolly hat is actually really valuable because it's very very cold at night and they don't have central heating. And then then with the last one is a wow something that is just that little bit of a treat whether it's some sweets or a cuddly toy or a ball a bouncy ball is so much loved everywhere in the world just something very simple and that is lovely for the children. And should we worry about the weight I mean you're chatting there generally speaking things that are pretty light should we worry about the weight or just put in what we what we think you know would be put in whatever you think and and I always say to people you're listening you don't have to spend a fortune just shop smart buy multi-packs of things like copy books or even look around the house for a copy book that hasn't been used a nice cuddly toy that you know a lot of people have more cuddly toys than they actually need and as long as it's clean that can be given to another child who would really value it. Is it age specific do we can we pack for like a certain age or is it a broad age? Yeah we the little leaflets which are widely available in all the shops and through schools and also online at teamhope.ie they are just tell you three different ages so it's a two to four a boy or a girl age two to four for the little ones age five to nine the sort of middle age group are an age 10 to 14 okay pick one of those age groups one of these and and I'll say from the point of view of us we know that the the youngest and the oldest age groups are the most neglected so people don't always do so if you if you're making a box for the first time perhaps picks the babies or the teenagers because that's that's the ones that we don't get so many boxes okay so it's a 4w something to write with there's something to wash with something to wear and then something that has a wow factor something that is a novelty or something for fun and there's a number of different centres anywhere these boxes can be dropped off around Donegal and beyond and the the list and the details are online they are indeed and all of them and they can you can get in touch with the local centres where you are as well we're fortunate that so many schools across Donegal and preschools they're all involved secondary schools as well right the way across I'm the coordinator and in a show and so anyone in a show knows me and and we've been doing this for years and years and and there's coordinators and let it Kenny and over in Donegal and other places so okay and so simple it's just an ordinary shoe box wrapped you wrap the box itself and the lid separately yes yes because we in the centres we collect all the boxes we check them to make sure there's nothing that's not allowed because customs will check and and if you put in stuff like war war toys and things like that that are not so appropriate we check them if the box is just slightly empty we might add in an extra packet of sweets or an extra cuddly toy just to make sure no child gets less and then we seal it with a tape that's customs and then off it goes and the next person to open the box is the child themselves brilliant and offer goes to spread the joy of Christmas and to arrive in time all right well the the closing date the deadline for dropping off the shoe boxes is the 10th of November and more information online at teamhope.ie Ruth thank you very much thank you so much John