THE monthly meeting of the Stonehouse W.R.B.L. took place at the Community Centre on Thursday, April 30.

Chairman Janet Walsh led the exhortation and silent tribute.

She told us that £109 was raised at the recent coffee morning.

There were 33 members present.

One of our members June Dolphin was the speaker.

Her talk was entitled “To Russia wit Love”.

After training at Evesham with Samaritans Purse and working in the warehouse she went with a group to Belarus, with Operation Christmas Child, taking gift filled shoe boxes.

June`s group travelled to Minsk the capital, which is quite affluent.

They then travelled around the rest of the country which is very poor, visiting schools and orphanages.

Every where they went they were welcomed with open arms and a gift of bread and salt.

The children sang and danced for them in their national costume, and were very grateful for everything they received, most of them never having received a present before.

Most people live in tenement buildings - the temperature can be as low as minus 26 degrees in the winter.

Therefore gifts of mittens and hats are needed in the shoe boxes as well as toys and toiletries.

Gifts were also given to the Baboushkas (Grannies).

The group starts and ends each day with prayer.

This year 28,000 boxes went from the Evesham warehouse.

Altogether nine million boxes went from the UK.

At present Samaritans Purse Response Team is working in Nepal on emergency relief.

June brought us photos and many ideas of things to knit and buy for shoe boxes.

Her enthusiasm is infectious.

She was thanked by Janet.

Our next meeting is Whist Bingo on May 28 in the community centre at 1.45pm.

The competition winners were Christine Minchin and Sue Daw.

The outing to Symond`s Yat will be on June 25.