IN pouring rain on Saturday, December 15, 104 shoeboxes of gifts for the homeless and 22 large sacks of good quality blankets, sleeping bags and clothing were delivered to the Co-op in Cowick Street, Exeter, from a group of local villages centred on Cheriton Fitzpaine.

It was part of an Exeter and Devon wide initiative to provide homeless and vulnerable people with a seasonal gift that might bring them some Christmas cheer.

Each box contained items like essential toiletries, warm scarfs, gloves, socks and hats plus chocolate and sweets. All were wrapped with Christmas paper and contained a Christmas card.

Paula Mossman of Cheriton Fitzpaine began the initiative after seeing an appeal on "Facebook" from "Shoeboxes for the SouthWest" in October.

She said: "I asked on Cheriton Fitzpaine’s very active village ’Facebook’ page if anyone would like to help and the response was overwhelming.

"Five places, including our local Farm Shop, Thorne’s, also came forward as collection points for donations, which soon started to arrive.

"People brought in cheerfully packaged shoeboxes plus coats, sweaters, blankets and sleeping bags from as far afield as Pennymoor and Cadeleigh.

“Our local youth club in Poughill also joined in. Everyone was delighted to help and we were overwhelmed by their generosity and kindness."

She continued: "I am a listening volunteer with the Samaritans and I know that a great number of homeless people feel truly desperate at Christmas.

"It is a time when as a society we focus on joy, happiness, friends and families, food and gifts. A homeless person may well have none of these.

"For many this shoebox of gifts will be the only present they receive this Christmas and the only sign that someone truly cares about their welfare."

The boxes were delivered around Devon in the run-up to Christmas.

They went to homeless people and other vulnerable individuals in hostels such as St Petrock’s in Exeter and also to those in temporary accommodation.

Paula added: "Very often people become homeless for no fault of their own due to family break up or losing their job, which means they cannot pay their rent.

"It is a tragedy affecting ever increasing numbers of people even in an area of the country as beautiful as this."

To deliver the boxes to the distribution point in Exeter, Thorne’s Farm Shop kindly donated the use of its van.

Rebecca Jones from Thorne’s Farm Shop said: "We were delighted to help with this initiative. It is so good to be able to do a bit to help the less fortunate at this time of year.

"This idea will not solve homelessness but it will make someone’s Christmas a little brighter and more bearable."

Despite the rain, a cheerful crew loaded the van at Thorne’s and offloaded again at the other end.