NEARLY 50 children around the world will receive a shoebox full of gifts from pupils of Minehead Middle School this year.

Year seven head Sarah Mills oversaw the school’s contribution to Operation Christmas Child, which aims to combat poverty around the world.

Each tutor group was set a challenge of filling a shoebox for a child living in poverty, with 21 boxes eventually put together.

Another 26 shoeboxes were filled by individual students and their families, taking the total this year to 47.

The students then delivered the shoeboxes to Millbridge Church, Minehead, from where the charity’s volunteers will send them on their journey across the globe.

Ms Mills said: “A huge thank you to all the students and families for their donations, you should be really proud of the impact of your kindness.”

Operation Christmas Child is run by the non-denominational evangelical Christian organisation Samaritan’s Purse.