King's Church Rawnsley Centre, Keswick started with just one couple wanting to join OCC but the OCC vision spread like wildfire throughout the congregation. Now up to 80 per cent of the congregation is actively involved.
Perhaps it is the vast variety of help that people can offer – from knitting scarves to shopping, to driving jeeps around to collect boxes, to sorting shoe boxes in the warehouse, to packing the wagon that takes 20 men alone - which is the reason OCC attracts such support. Doreen explains, “Anybody with any skill to offer finds they can give something of value to OCC and hence to needy children.”
Lugwardine Christian Fellowship finds that involvement is literally 100% per cent. “Everybody does something, either making shoe boxes or in working in the warehouse. Most of us do both!” says Elizabeth Hodges.
The same goes for St Paul Stockton and Newtown Methodist, Stockton-on-Tees. Julie explains, “We have a number of ladies knitting all year round for OCC, while others are always on the lookout for shoe box gifts. They say to me, ‘I just picked this or that up in a sale. It will be great for the shoe boxes….'"
At Christchurch Baptist Church about 50 people in the congregation are now actively involved in coming to the warehouse, checking boxes, loading lorries and helping out in other areas. “And many more are supportive and have done boxes,” Eileen Invermee says.
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