LONDON, October 22 /PRNewswire/ -- APC Overnight is helping the BBC TV children's show Blue Peter's Send a Smile Appeal in aid of Operation Smile, which helps to transform the lives of children with facial deformities. APC Overnight is offering a free nationwide drop off and next day delivery service for the campaign's Send a Smile Appeal that raises money to provide reconstructive surgery to repair cleft lips and cleft palates.

This year, Blue Peter has set a challenge to children throughout the UK to turn unwanted T-shirts into colourful hospital gowns for Operation Smile patients. The goal is to make 20,000 gowns - each worth approx GBP 3 - saving GBP 60,000 which will pay for over 300 operations. The finished gowns will be dropped off at convenient collection points - including local APC Overnight depots, Currys, Currys Digital, PC World and Access Storage - for next day delivery to Operation Smile in London.

Thousands of children are born each year with a cleft lip or cleft palate, preventing them from eating, speaking or even smiling. In many parts of the world these children are hidden away, prevented from attending school and face an uncertain future. Operation Smile sends teams of volunteer medical professionals to provide free reconstructive surgery.

Since 1982, Operation Smile has provided free facial reconstructive surgery to more than 135,000 children. The operation can take just a 45 minute operation, costing as little as GBP 150 to give a child a new start at life.

Quentin Abel, Chairman, APC Overnight said: Everyone within the APC Overnight network is pleased to be involved in the Blue Peter Send a Smile Appeal. The free facial operations make a big difference to children, enabling them to partake in activities the rest of us take for granted. The Appeal requires partners who have a nationwide presence to act as collection points, and so we are delighted that our network of depots will provide the ideal solution.

Operation Smile: http://www.operationsmile.org.uk/bluepeterappeal

SOURCE: APC Overnight

CONTACT: CONTACTS: APC Overnight: Jon Barber, Marketing Director, APCOvernight, +44(0)1922-702500