Christmas Convoy

Each year, members of Round Table Germany,and the wider Round Table Family, come together to support one of the most ambitious and heartfelt service projects in Round Table International: the Weihnachtspäckchenkonvoi. What begins as thousands of small acts of generosity, gifts collected in homes, schools, and communities across Europe, transforms into a logistical operation of remarkable scale and spirit.

This year, Adam Fitt Todwick and Anston RT, travelled once again to Bielefeld, Germany, to join RTI President Chris Mintoff, and fellow Tablers and Circlers in preparing tens of thousands of Christmas parcels destined for children across Eastern Europe. His report captures not only the sheer magnitude of the operation, but also the camaraderie and shared purpose that make this project so special.

Below, Adam shares his firsthand experience of a weekend filled with teamwork, tradition, and the unmistakable magic of the Round Table Family.

"The Weihnachtspackhen Konvoi is simply immense. That is how I would choose to describe

it. Close to a military operation. Everything matters, timing, weight of presents, gender, age. Everything plays a part in what logistics are required to execute this massive service project. And believe me when I say it is special to see it happen before your eyes. The teamwork, friendship and everything that goes into just one day of many, many more of this project, is one of the amazing experiences you get from joining Round Table and doing that little bit more. 

"I have been travelling over to Bielefeld, Germany for a couple of years now to help out fellow Tablers and Circlers pack up a massive amount of Christmas presents bound for children in Eastern Europe. This year, we finished packing and loading around 10,000 presents onto 2 articulated lorries, which will find their way to the likes of Romania, Moldova, Ukraine, Bulgaria, along with dozens of other trucks and buses of volunteers leaving in convoy on 29th November. 

"This year, alongside my regular partner in crime/wingwoman Barbara Van den Bosch (we

decided as Region Chairs we would come back every year), I was joined by RTI President Chris Mintoff, RT Switzerland President Mirco Miller and others. I spent Friday with Bielefeld Ladies Circle collecting final presents from local Kindergartens, friends and other donors before a lovely group meal (and maybe a few Gluwein at the Christmas Market!) before getting into the real work on Saturday. It is a long day of heavy graft made a bit tougher this year by the very cold weather, but we all pushed each other through. Another group meal followed by a visit to a local 41er birthday party in his home bar finished off a wonderful weekend. A long journey home Sunday, followed by a long hot shower, was needed before returning to the daily grind, all the while knowing some magic was on its way to over 150000 children. That is the power of the Round Table Family."

Adam Fitt

Todwick & Anston RT 1292

RTBI

If you’d like to learn more about the Weihnachtspäckchenkonvoi, or find out how you can get involved next year, visit their official website: https://www.round-table.de/helfen-anpacken/weihnachtspaeckchenkonvoi/ and maybe you’ll be part of the magic too!