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Quick Links Contact the BFPO Enquiries Team Freedom of Information |
Books for the Troops Afganistan - New Appeal It says a lot about the immense generosity and goodwill of the Great British public that over a year after various Christmas 08 appeals for books for the troops in Afghanistan finished – thousands of parcels are still sent every week. The Padre of one particular Unit, who returned last March, had asked his mum and a few friends for books and sweets to cheer the lads and girls over Christmas 08. About the same time, the OC of a Company sent an email to some mates at his pub at home, saying that toiletries and magazines would be much appreciated. And there were many others as well – asking for a few home comforts to make a difference in a tough working environment… It began with a couple of parcels of books and shampoo and boiled sweets – that and some very kind letters and cards of support from the folks at home. They arrived via the BFPO in Camp Bastion in Helmand Province. The parcels began to arrive and it quickly became clear that the lads down the pub and the Padre’s mum and loads of friends at home had distributed the appeals all over the place. With the kindest of motives they emailed them to friends and newspapers and big businesses; to charities and churches and pubs. Parcels arrived from individuals and corporations; from ordinary people and from those with famous names and even more prestigious addresses. There were so many that they got distributed throughout Helmand to our lads and girls. They received the sweets and shampoo, the razors and moisturising cream, books and DVDs – and so much more besides. Every Forward Operating Base had a library of hundreds of books and there were boxes of goodies to cheer everyone up. Christmas 2008 came and went - but the parcels didn’t stop. As friends emailed friends and told them what they had sent – so thousands of others started to send their books and sweets and other items as well. The British Forces Post Office found that 40% at one point of all their mail was in response to these former appeals. They found, that through the immense kindness of those sending packages, actually the system was clogging up. They found that genuine parcels from mums and dads and partners to those serving in theatre, were being slowed by the volume of ‘charity’ parcels. The Units and the people who had made the original appeals, came and then returned to the UK after their tours of duty. But the parcels have continued. BFPO say that over Christmas 2009, over 13,700 bags of mail were delivered in only 6 days to Afghanistan. And from this quantity 6 x 20 foot containers were filled to the brim with parcels of books and sweets and other goodies for people who have long since returned to the UK. They said that the fabulous generosity of the folks back home was potentially slowing their work of getting personal mail and parcels to the troops. If you are reading this you may have heard of appeals by individuals for the troops in Afghanistan. You may even have sent parcels or publicised one of the appeals. The aim of this short article is two fold. One, to say thank you for the kindness you demonstrated in caring for the British troops. Thank you for the selfless generosity you and thousands of others have shown to our lads and girls. Your parcels and letters and made a difference, and those on the ground are the better for it. But now we have other ways of supporting our troops. Books and toiletries and sweets are no longer needed – they’re readily available in all our military bases – and they come from the big national charities like ‘Support our Soldiers’ and the like, (who have their own distribution networks – so they don’t clog the BFPO). This is now the new appeal: Have a look at the websites of charities that care for the troops and send them the sort of things our boys and girls REALLY need and want. You will still be making a difference. Thank you for all your generosity. Padre Peter Scott
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