MoD plea over parcels for soldiers

CHRISTMAS gifts and goodwill parcels for frontline soldiers should be sent via two nominated charities says the Ministry of Defence.The public’s generosity at Christmas has threatened to swamp the system and delay  mail from family and friends o

CHRISTMAS gifts and goodwill parcels for frontline soldiers should be sent via two nominated charities says the Ministry of Defence.

The public’s generosity at Christmas has threatened to swamp the system and delay  mail from family and friends over the last two years, says the MOD.

So this year two charities, Support Our Soldiers and Thank The Forces have agreed a system for the delivery of parcels to minimise disruption to the postal system.

Vice Admiral Peter Wilkinson, deputy chief of defence staff at the MoD, said: “I should make it clear from the outset that we are extremely grateful for the levels of support from all walks of society which provide a telling testimony to the respect and affection in which our Armed Forces are held.

"Such support means a great deal to service personnel and the generosity of communities at home is important in keeping up morale, often in very difficult conditions.

“I recognise the MoD has a duty to help set up ways through which the public can channel its support and it is for this reason that the MOD has asked the charity Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Families Association Forces Help to administer an Operational Welfare Fund which focuses on providing support directly to troops on the front line.”

The fund allows commanders on the ground to bid for items which they feel will have the most impact on boosting morale.

The vice admiral also encouraged people wanting to send goodwill parcels to go through Support Our Solders and Thank The Forces, which send strictly controlled numbers of parcels.

He said: "Experience over the past two years has shown that the system can be swamped by the public’s generosity causing the all-important personal mail to become significantly delayed.

“These charities have agreed a programme designed to minimise disruption  the postal system and we strongly encourage those determined to send a parcel to donate instead to one of these charities.”

For more information visit www.bmycharity.com/V2/welfarefund or www.mod.uk/public supportforourservicepersonnel.

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