SHOPPERS in Okehampton will help put smiles on the faces of hundreds of deprived children next Christmas.

A cheque for £622 was presented recently to the Fairplace Church Wives and Friends' Group by Waitrose in Okehampton, as part of the supermarket's Community Matters scheme.

The money will be used to buy essential items to fill shoeboxes for children as part of the 2011 Operation Christmas Child appeal, which sends a Christmas gift to children who otherwise would have nothing. The Christmas 2010 boxes from Fairplace were sent to children in Serbia and Ukraine.

The money also helped towards the transport costs of the boxes.

Group secretary Shirley Webb said: 'The wives and friends' group are extremely grateful to Waitrose and to the Waitrose shoppers for supporting this appeal.

'This Christmas we were able to raise enough money to fill and send 340 boxes from Fairplace. With this extra amount from the Waitrose Community Matters scheme, we will aim to do even better this coming Christmas.'

Throughout the year, group members work hard knitting scarves, hats and mittens to be included in the boxes, along with essential items such as soap, a flannel, toothbrush, toothpaste, notebooks, pencils and a toy.

A large donation of small kites and toys was received from Brookite Kites in Okehampton, which helped fill the boxes.

The Community Matters scheme gives each branch £1,000 to share between three locally chosen good causes every month. Shoppers vote for their favourite cause by dropping a green token into one of three boxes near the exit to the store every time they shop, and the funds are divided accordingly.

The Fairplace Wives and Friends' Group holds a number of fundraising events throughout the year to raise money for the annual shoebox project.

The next soup and sweet lunch will be held at Fairplace Church on Saturday March 12 between midday and 1.30pm. The cost is £4 per person, and all are welcome.

To help with this year's shoebox project, or for more information on the wives and friends' group, contact Shirley Webb on 01837 52926, Jill Allin on 54590, or Rosemary Brown on 55207.