Kevin O' Brien, Voluntary Action Rutland, Rutland Community Spirit, The Lions of Rutland Christmas Collecting

Voluntary Action Rutland, Rutland Community Spirit, the Lions Club of Rutland and businesses in the county have joined forces for Operation Christmas, which will give food parcels to people in need and toys to underprivileged children.

Lions volunteers will be in Oakham and Uppingham on Saturday, collecting food and gifts for parcels and
Oakham gas engineer Kevin O’Brien is appealing for toys and presents, particularly for babies and teenagers.
Kevin, 55, has run a toy collection for 20 years in Rutland but has joined forces with the Lions this year.


Kevin told the Rutland Times  “I have been collecting toys for children at Christmas every year for 20 years. We always get a lot of toys for younger children but fewer gifts for teenagers and babies.”

Kevin, is looking for gifts for teenagers that are new and would be a good present for young people aged 13 to 18.

He went on to say: “I’d ask for things that you would give your own teenagers like aftershave for the boys or perfume for the girls. “Teenagers can be difficult to buy for and many don’t like to think they are underprivileged so this is just a way of making their Christmas extra special.”

Gifts can be dropped into Kevin’s business showroom in Gaol Street, Oakham, during the working day and must be unwrapped. He is hoping to gather as many gifts as he can before Friday, December 16 to give other volunteers a chance to wrap and distribute them.

Operation Christmas will also deliver food parcels to the elderly living alone and families who are feeling the pinch this Christmas.

The Lions expect to assemble more than 300 food parcels, each typically containing a three-course Christmas meal, which will be distributed around the county by Voluntary Action Rutland.

Today 10am to 6pm, collectors will be at Tesco in South Street, Oakham, and the Co-op in Burley Road, Oakham.

On Saturday they will be at Tesco and Co-op in Oakham from 10am to 4pm and at the Co-op in North Street East, Uppingham, from 9am to 1pm.