Gift a Santa shoebox to a seafarer this festive season

WITH the help of our generous community, each December the Richards Bay Seafarers Mission delivers wrapped gifts and Christmas cheer to thousands of seafarers who have come from all over the world into the Port of Richards Bay.

The general public, or companies, can help to bring joy to these seafarers who are far from their homes and loved ones, by supporting the mission’s Shoebox Christmas project.

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Perhaps you can host a donation drive at your office, place of worship, school or organisation by donating a shoebox filled with nine items found on the prescribed list, and perhaps adding a few extra gifts.

The standard items to be placed inside a normal adult-sized shoebox are socks, comb, deodorant, disposable razors, body wash, shaving cream, toothbrush, toothpaste, and pencil/pen/sharpener.

Optional extras are a face mask, postcard/calendar, Christmas card, a Christmas letter or drawing from a child, suntan lotion, dental floss or lip balm.

Shoeboxes can be wrapped, painted or decorated with pictures pasted, but the lid of the shoebox must be wrapped separately so that the box can be opened for security purposes.

Boxes can be delivered to the Richards Bay Seafarers Mission, 11 Urania Road between 8am and 6pm Monday to Sunday.

Please call before delivering to ensure someone is available to receive your donation.

Contact 082 7445554 or mark.classen@mtsmail.org

If you would like to support this cause but don’t have time to prepare a box, R200 will cover the cost of a wrapped shoebox gift and R300 supports the cost of a shoebox gift plus a 2GB sim card to assist a seafarer connect with loved ones.

EFT your donation to:
Standard Bank
Account No.: 637132483
Branch Code: 058030
Reference: Shoebox Christmas 2020

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