To let you know Operation Christmas Child controversy has reared its head again

[Spanglylycra]

If you get asked to support this at school like we do well worth a read humanism.org.uk/2018/11/07/spike-in-recent-uk-donations-to-operation-christmas-child-prompts-new-warning/

We had a note home from school earlier this week about doing the shoeboxes.

I was going to email the school regarding it, but didn't need to. The following day the school emailed all parents saying it wasn't happening, but if the children still want to do shoeboxes they will be donated to another charity.

That's great I haven't contacted our school yet, they are quite evangelical and autocratic and it will go down like a lead balloon! But I'm used to being "that parent" !

Hobo I always do this and now I won't be! Can anyone recommend a similar charity that would be better to donate to?? Thank you

Oh no* 🤦‍♀️

I think Barnardos and normal Samaritans (not Samaritans purse which this is) often do.

My Church are doing them for Link to Hope instead this year, as are others I know of.

linktohope.co.uk/shoebox-appeal-2018

Do blythswood not do a shoe box appeal? Or is it tied up with this?

www.marysmeals.org.uk/get-involved/campaigns/the-backpack-project

I'm sure this has been recommended on here before as an alternative.

I had no idea! Thank you for sharing!

Spangly, please do contact the school. I did when DD was in Y7 - I wrote a respectful, but clear letter, with links to articles etc. They responded by withdrawing their support from the scheme and have never done it again. So your voice can count.

I have contacted school - just had to psyche myself up. Not optimistic of favourable reply!

We do Mary’s Meals. The backpacks are a great idea.

Refuge do an appeal where you can buy something online that is then given to women and children living in women’s refuges. Oftennthe families turn up with the clothes on their backs to escape violence. Bo have bought kids toys a few times!

I raised this with my DD’s school last year, so will be interested to see what happens this year. No mention of it yet, and I gave them several links to alternatives.

A CHRISTIAN charity supplies CHRISTMAS presents (to celebrate a CHRISTIAN festival) to children, along with CHRISTIAN literature. And you have a problem with that because....?!

Babdoc because they send the boxes out as a guise for spreading christian beliefs and try to indoctrinate those who receive them. Here have this gift, but only after you listen to our lectures and read these leaflets, very selfless of them

@Babdoc I have a problem with it because of the homophobic and islamaphobic shit they spout to these kids whilst giving the presents. Do some research.

It's also a really bad way of 'doing' international development - baptistnews.com/article/stuffing-shoe-boxes-for-the-worlds-poor-maybe-you-should-reconsider/#.W-VxaDmnydM

I haven't heard anything this year but we've decided to send something to Sali Hughes' Beauty Bank.

I spoke to DS's school again about this after they sent the leaflets out and the head assures me they won't do it again but didn't stop it this year

DDs secondary school do a similar thing but for our local childrens' centre.

Our school has always done the Rotary school boxes (they aren't religious)

The rotary club does a shoebox scheme with no religious strings attached, and they are delivered all year round rather than just at Christmas.

Babdoc, Spanglylycra I've always had mixed feelings but went on the side that we shouldn't push Western religions.

However, I'm now friendly with a few Women from Africa, Nigeria and Cameroon. They are all Catholic. The ones from Nigeria, their Parents were converted during the Biafran starvation crisis.

Being Christian has put them in increased danger, as what we know as ISIS, has killed off and targeted all Christians and the schools etc. But it also bought benefits. Their Female relatives life, as Muslim Women would have been much worse.

Spanglylycra the issue with siting Islamaphobia is not recognising what is being forced upon the population of some nations/states, in the name of Islam. The form of Islam is extreme, but at the same time allows the treating of Women to be anyway a Man decides, especially if he deems her unworthy of respect.

Gay/Albino/Disabled people are murdered.

Look at the treatment of Asia Bibi.

I wrote to my children's school two years ago when they were doing OCC. The HT had no idea about the dodgy evangelising and views of Franklin Graham. Last year they did Blythswood Care instead and this year they are doing Teams4U.

I suggested the Mary's Meals Backpack Project, but the TA who runs the school council said it was too expensive One of the PTA dads said he spends £5 per shoebox and didn't want to exceed that.