Since 2001 people from Maryburgh/Conon, and their friends from the surrounding district, gather in Maryburgh Free Church hall each October-November to check and supplement shoeboxes of small gifts donated to Blythswood Care for the benefit of disadvantaged people in (mainly European) countries with fragile economies.

Customs regulations in such countries often ban certain items and so each shoebox must be checked to exclude these and then have items inserted which are regarded as “necessities”, such as toiletries and new, warm clothing, often referred to as “fillers”.

These “fillers” are acquired through the generosity of many throughout the year, collected by Blythswood and then delivered to the hall prior to commencement of the checking process. Indeed, since 2015, a group of volunteers from the Maryburgh district has continued to meet, fortnightly, in the hall, to knit garments which will help bring comfort in countries where winter temperatures can be less than zero. Other volunteers continue to seek out bargains throughout the year and produce these when the exercise begins each October.