Maldon community make Christmas shoeboxes for those in need

For the last nine years, campaigner Julie Taylor has done a Christmas appeal for donations to put into shoeboxes to share amongst those in need of a bit of food or cheerful pick-me-up.

Julie is most known in the community for founding The Liam Taylor Legacy in memory of her 19-year-old grandson, who sadly died after being knifed outside a pub in Writtle in January 2020.

She also runs a knitting group in Maldon Methodist Church every Thursday, which she maintains as a warm space for elderly people to have lunch and do various social and creative activities.

This year, she is once again running the Christmas appeal.

Heart warming - The shoeboxes are a Christmas gift for those who may need food, something warm, or a little treat (Image: Julie Taylor) She said: “Last year, we had 276 boxes of tinned food, tinned potatoes and tinned fish, Christmas pudding, Christmas cake and bars of chocolate.

“We sent them out with district nurses and ambulance drivers who know someone who is hard up or perhaps poorly and unwell.

“We’ve started asking for donations for this Christmas already.”

Julie requests donations of toys are new, and that all donations are able to last a couple of months in a box.

Sweet - Julie has received knitted items which can go into the shoeboxes (Image: Julie Taylor) She said: “Whatever is dried or tinned or packed that won’t go off that could do a meal in a box or a little treat—we’ve had little bottles of wine before.

“A local lady has knitted me 100 keyrings which will go into the boxes, and we knit hats, scarves, gloves, socks and blankets.

“Tesco in Heybridge have a box for us for people to donate any extra bits from their shopping, and they deliver it to us.

“We have 15 volunteers who wrap and pack the boxes and write a card.”

“By the first week of December, we’ll have 200 boxes at least.”

Delight - People are very happy to receive the shoe boxes as a little something at Christmas time (Image: Julie Taylor) Julie added: “They don’t have to be hard up, they could be unwell or have special needs.

“If someone asks for a box for their neighbour, we never say no.”

Sometimes, people request boxes for relatives and friends who are far away.

One woman messaged Julie on Facebook from Australia, asking if it was possible to send a box to her 93-year-old father in Tiptree.

Julie said: “She messaged me after we delivered it saying he couldn’t believe it and he was so happy.

“These are the people who slip through the net that don’t get remembered.”

Proud - Julie campaigns to fight knife crime in Essex in memory of her grandson, Taylor (Image: Julie Taylor) Julie added: “It’s just really nice isn’t it, it’s nice to help people and make people smile.

“It just makes someone smile—that’s the best thing.”

To donate to the Christmas shoeboxes, bring items to St Peter’s Hospital reception in Spital Road, Maldon.

To find out more about the Liam Taylor Legacy, or donate to tackle knife crime in Essex, visit: https://theliamtaylorlegacy.org.uk