Operation Christmas Child - Result!

[BikeRunSki]

I first became aware of Samaritan’s Purse/Operation Christmas Child 5 years ago when DS started Reception. Superficially it looked like a great idea, and fir a couple of years we did a box.

Through MN I realised that all is not quite what it seemed, and actually the shoeboxes were used as religious leverage and not given out as freely as suggested by the promotional material.

I did a bit of my own digging (googling!) and last year me and a couple of other school mums did not do boxes, told other parents why we weren’t and informed the headteacher of our reasoning. She was completely unaware.

Yesterday school sent out an email called “Christmas Apoeal”. My heart sank, then leapt with joy when I opened it. School has decided to support a similar shoe box campaign LOCALLY, which is being coordinated by the local Welcome Centre (food bank, benefits advice etc). I’m so chuffed that school has realised the OCC is not really that nice and have chosen to support something local.

That’s fab! I wish a kid/parent would do this in the school I work in. I don’t feel able to undermine the assistant head who organises ours.

Does anyone have links to info about the problems with Operation Christmas Child - I'm in a new job and they have supported it for years and I need help explaining why it is a problem.

Our school has stopped it too this year OP, and is supporting a similar local scheme for elderly people. We’re new to the school and I was uncomfortable with the idea of doing one for OCC but since it has been changed we will def be doing a box for that.

I found one where you make a hamper and raffle it in aid of the local hospice, so we’ll be doing that this year instead.

gory Our school was going to do the OCC last year. They sent out an email about it and some parents complained and explained why. They too did a local scheme instead. Much better idea.

I built up the courage to email our head about this last year. Unfortunately too late to stop that one, but something else planned this year. Head was completely unaware, and rather shocked. So difficult as the kids love the shoebox idea but much better to find something local.

Search operation Christmas child on Mumsnet and you’ll find several threads and there are email suggestions too

Yep, I got OCC and a dubious scheme where you signed up to several years (& £££££k) worth of tutoring dvds binned from my dc's primary.

HT took to hiding from me after that...