JUST A FEW OF THE TEARS CHANGED INTO SMILES!
Support Our Soldiers & CHhugs
Join forces to launch 'The Send A Smile Appeal'
Sending bean bag toys & stationery to the children of Iraq
The total of beanies collected was 3445
At the beginning of May 2003 the Send A Smile Appeal was launched. Our target was to send 1,000 bean bag toys to the children of Iraq and to change 1,000 tears into smiles. It was a steep target to meet but we felt with a bit of support and a lot of hard work, we may just get there.
How we underestimated the kindness and genorosity of people. Just eight weeks later, as the appeal drew to a close, we had managed to send a massive 3,445 beanies and 115 boxes of stationery out to the children.
To try and find the right words to express the gratitude of the SOS teams is very difficult. To simply say thank you, doesn't seem nearly enough for the effort and thought that has been put in.
However, thank you it is to everyone who has contributed in any way - from one beanie or stationery item to a box, or several full - each and every donation has made a difference.
May I add special thanks to our area co-ordinators who have championed the cause so tirelessly:
Jennifer in Dundee
Jennie in Fife
Lorna in Brize Norton
Ellena in Mansfield
Carol in Northern Ireland
And of course to the stores who offered served as collection points, and to the press for their continued support.
And finally, Monika, as the saying goes 'without whom none of this would have been possible'. Monika and her teams in Basra have distributed the donations directly to the children, in the orphanages, hospitals and schools, were they have been most needed. An overwhelming task at times but we know she has done a superb job as the letters received testify.
The final update on this page, once Monika is settled back in the UK, will hopefully be pictures of the toys being distributed to the children. These will show once and for all how worthwhile the campaign has been and will hopefully prove that at least a small number of tears have been changed into smiles!
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DONATIONS
Thank you to the following for their kind donations, every single one is very gratefully received.
The total of beanies collected was 3445
Paperback Shop - Beanies
Rio Mazan - Beanies
4th Bradford North Brownies - Beanies & Stationery items
Miss D Bashford - Beanies & Stationery Items
Yvonne & Keiron - Beanies
Langleys Toymaster - Beanies
Jean Soans - More Beanies!
Carol Davidson - Beanies
Jennie Howe - Beanies
Anon - Beanies
Jean Soans - More Beanies!
Daphne Bowes - Beanies & Stationery Items
George, Lucy, Sarah - Stationery Items
St John The Baptist - More Beanies
Sue Ollenshaw - Beanies
Shelley Moore
Sue Hoogwerf - Beanies
Anon - Beanies & Stationery Items
Anne Turner - Beanies & Stationery Items
Anon, Tunbridge Wells - Beanies
Carol Scott - Beanies
Miss R Gorst - Beanies
St John The Baptist Wales - Beanies
Jean Soans - Beanies
Rebecca Peterson - Beanies
Yorkshire Collectables - Beanies
Ellena - Beanies & Stationery Items (Massive amounts of!!)
Anon - Beanies
Anon - Stationery Items
Anon - Stationery Items
Anon - Beanies & Stationery Items
Karen Lester - Beanies & Stationery Items
Miss D Bashford - Beanies & Stationery Items
Mrs V Drake - Beanies
Mrs G Cowan - Beanies & Stationery Items
Anon - Stationery Items
Emma Hamilton - Stationery Items
Peak Entertainment - Beanies
Theresa - Beanies
Anon - Stationery Items
Anon - Cash Donation
Maria Dooley - Stationery Items
Anon - Stationery Items
Anon - Stationery Items
Anon - Beanies & Stationery Items
Miss D Bashford - Beanies & Stationery Items
T Mackintosh - Stationery Items
Card Warehouse - Beanies
Amy & Robert Tulip - Beanies
Jean Soans - Beanies
P Baggett - Stationery Items
Mrs W Stephens - Beanies
Frances Bashford - Beanies
Ellybeans - Beanies
Ethan Cross - Beanies & Stationery Items
F Allen - Beanies
Chubbley UK Ltd - Beanies
Sue Ollenshaw - Stationery Items
Redkey Uk Ltd - Beanies
Gail McDermott - Stationery Items
Lizzie Wellington - Stationery Items
Noelienne McColgan - Stationery Items
Joanna Bell - Stationery Items
Marie Stout - Stationery Items
Support Our Soldiers - Beanies
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ORIGINAL STATEMENT:
Events in Iraq over the last few months cannot have passed many people by and although we at Support Our Soldiers do not have any political opinion or bias, we are very well aware that many children have suffered terribly in the conflict. We have all seen the TV coverage of children in awful conditions, and cannot fail to be moved by those images - whatever our religious, social or political opinions.
So we are pleased to announce that we have teamed up with CHhugs, a charity whose aim is to put a smile on the faces of sick children in the UK, to launch this very special campaign.
Aprroved by official aid distributors and supported by Sir Richard Branson, who will transport our donations free of charge; our target is to send 1,000 soft bean bag toys to the children of Iraq.
We've chosen beanies because they have an appeal that spans all age ranges: they're soft and cuddly, small enough to be carried around by children and of superb quality. There's everything imaginable from bears and bunnies, cats and dogs to frogs and dragons - something to comfort any child.
All we're asking is for people to donate a beanie, a bean bag toy of any type or make as long as it's clean and tidy. Tags don't matter, these can be removed before sending if preferred or if you want to write a little message on them that's fine.
If you're a retailer, you could have a Send A Smile collection box in your shop and ask your customers to donate beanies. Or you could donate them yourself. We know there's probably lots of the less popular styles in storage, let's put them to use!
There is also a real need for stationery, pens, pencils and crayons. These are items that don't cost a lot but can make a big difference.
The tears of a child don't fall through political posturing or religious bigotry, they fall through pain and fear and if a beanie can replace those tears with a smile for even a little while then this is what the campaign is all about.
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