The other thing of course is that we can't put any religious items in there, because we go across all religions and again we don't want that sort of argument as it can again spoil the distribution, if there's something like that in a box.

Sarah: Which is quite interesting really, because typically Operation Christmas Child has got some kind of Christian connection.

Tony: Well it's a totally Christian organisation yes; but again, we are a Christian organisation that goes to war torn Muslim countries. What would happen if one opened it up and there was a Bible on the top? You never know. We've stood alongside the Muslims and we've distributed to their children and they've loved it. So Christians and Muslims working together; it's marvellous what it does.

Sarah: So in those situations I'm intrigued. How do you get the message of Jesus to people?

Tony: Goes across in the love you put in that box. Someone somewhere loves that child. You know it comes from a Christian organisation - it just speaks itself.

Sarah: So it's really the act of kindness of giving generously to a child in need is really what impacts them to think that this comes from someone who's a Christian and who follows Jesus.

Tony: If I really had to sit and write that down I couldn't have put it better myself.

Sarah: Okey dokey. So how many boxes do you end up having every year that you distribute? Because we're talking a lot aren't we?

Tony: Yes we are talking a lot. Nationally 1.2 million went out last year. From Stoke-on-Trent we did 15,600.

Sarah: Fantastic.

Tony: It is yes. This year of course we had a slight problem; another organisation has jumped onto the band wagon for shoe boxes.

Sarah: So you've got a bit of a competition for shoe boxes.

Tony: Big competition yes.

Sarah: OK. I'm guessing at the moment this year with the current recession that also there's concern that we'd have less shoe boxes as well?