I hope no-one minds me posting this, I haven't been on the site for a while.

My husband is currently serving with 2 Rifles in Afghanistan. As anyone who wateches the news will know, they have lost and had injured many men during their tour. Anything to boost morale (which is suprisingly good considering, and considering some of the soldiers are barely eighteeen years old) is very much appreciated, so I am trying to organise as many peole as possible to send parcels out there, specifically to C company, who my husband is with, and who have been hit the hardest, being the company who sadly lost five men in one incident recently. Some of these lads have little family or friends, and so don't recieve much, or any mail or parcels out there.

If anyone would be willing to send a parcel out there, I would be very greatful, and it would mean a lot to the men serving out there. Parcels which are shoe box sized, or thereabouts, and under 2KG's in weight, are free to send. It needn't be anything expensive. A bottle of juice, such as Robinsons, or a packet of chewing gum even would be hugely appreciated.

Certain items, such as aerosols, alchohol or any lewd material are unable to be sent, but anything else is fine.

I can't post the address, due to security issues, but if anyone woudl like to either message me, or post here asking me to message them, I can give you the address to send things to.

Thanks for just reading this, any help at all would be appreciated.

Hi Jackson
what a lovely idea if you pm me i will certainly get a box together to send

Hi

My dad is ex forces as is my hubby....... send me the addy and I will certainly help.... is shower gel etc allowed ?? cholate etc ???

Karen

Great idea! Please PM me the addy and I'll see what I can do to help.

I've already PM'd to say that I'd be delighted to send something over, but would welcome any suggestions of good things to send as I've never done this before.

Thanks

Simone

Great idea, PM me the address and I'll put something together too. Like Earl though would appreciate some info on what would be of use etc

M x

Me too, if you would be able to pm me with the address i'll put a box together and post out there.  I didn't realise it was free to send things and that you can send to anyone out there.

Would love to help do our bit too!

Diane

Please PM me the address and we'll get a coulpe of parcels sent out there.

Any suggestions on what would be really good to put in?

What would we miss most being away from home?

.

Can you PM me the addy too?

Also, do you think they would like a photograph of a dog?  Just that maybe some of them may have dogs back here and miss them.  I'll ask OH for inspiration, him being male and all.  Would pants and socks be a bit too weird to send?

What a fabulous idea, I didn't realise that parcels were free to send - do you know if Royal Mail charge the MOD though? I'll certainly send something, in fact I'll try and send a parcel every week :-)  Please pm me the address too :-)

Thankyou all so very much for doing this, I know it will mean an awful lot to our men. If people do want to include notes of support or photographs, I am very sure they'll be apreciated. Nothing like the personal touch. Knowing they have public support brings a huge morale boost with it.

Shower gel and any non aerosol toiletries are brilliant. I think the only thing they don't need are baby wipes, as they apprently get lots of those sent out. I am sure boxers/pants and socks would also be appreciated.

To give people an idea of what to send, the following is a list of what I have sent, and I know friends have sent, and been asked for: (I have asterisked the things my husband and friends husbands ask for most often, although everyone might not like the same things, but at a guess, I'd say they all want similar items)

Crisps *
Nachos
Jars of dip
olives
sundried tomatoes
jars of anti-pasti (lidl/aldi are good for these)
tins of custard*
tins of rice pudding *
tins of fruit
ready made/ready to eat jellies
dried fruit (i know the dried mango goes down very well)
nuts of any type *
cereal bars and anything similar like Rice Crispies squares
pull ring opening tins of fish like tuna (Aldi/Lidl do a good range in sauces, and are cheaper)
cured meats like 'whole' salami and chorizo.
chutneys and pickles
good old heinz tomato ketchup and HP or Daddies brown sauce *
Reggae Reggae sauce *
parmesan cheese (fresh, which lasts well, or the dried packet kind)
haribo sweets *
chewing gum
packs of mints
'retro' sweets like strawberry laces, cola bottles etc
biscuits
cakes (jamaican ginger etc last very well and are on offer a lot) *
waffles
bottles of fruit squash *
sachets of powdered squash or lucozade, supermarkets do these *
cans of coke **
deodorant
shower gel
toothpaste
facial moisturiser
chap sticks
immodium. :-) *

Things you can't send:

chocolate (it melts, as it is 55 degress C some days there)
'lewd' material, which includes Nuts, Zoo, FHM etc
aerosols
alchohol
lighters/matches etc

Once again, thankyou so very much> I cannot put into words how greatful the lads will be.

I've just had a look on the BFPO website, it does say...

Q. Can welfare parcels be sent to the troops serving on Op TELIC & Op HERRICK? (Iraq and Afghanistan)

No, please be advised that an item of mail up to the maximum weight of 2kgs can be sent to named personnel only. Due to the surge of mail during the freepost period to these operational areas BFPO does not wish to delay personal mail to loved ones by accepting mail to unnamed personnel.

It looks like the free packet service is designed for known family and friends. You would have to supply us with a list of names, service numbers and ranks to send free mail and I'm not sure this is appropriate?

great idea and i'd be glad to help please pm me the address and i to will get some bits together ,
edit as i see theirs already a list up.

I too would be very willing to help as well if you would send me the address please.

I've just had a look on the BFPO website, it does say...

Q. Can welfare parcels be sent to the troops serving on Op TELIC & Op HERRICK? (Iraq and Afghanistan)

No, please be advised that an item of mail up to the maximum weight of 2kgs can be sent to named personnel only. Due to the surge of mail during the freepost period to these operational areas BFPO does not wish to delay personal mail to loved ones by accepting mail to unnamed personnel.

It looks like the free packet service is designed for known family and friends. You would have to supply us with a list of names, service numbers and ranks to send free mail and I'm not sure this is appropriate?

It's fine too send them. I've checked this with the unit welfare office. You do need a name, service number and address of someone to send it to, hence all going to my husband's address and then he will hand them out to his company. As I mentioned, some of the men have no-one to send them letters of parcels, and so get nothing.

> hence all going to my husband's address and then he will hand them out to his company.

Brilliant! Will get something off tomorrow and then try to do regular boxes :-)

Jackson can you PM me also?  Thanks

Wow! Thankyou so much everyone. The response to this has been over-whelming!

This will be so appreciated.

Can I just say as the wife of a serving soldier out there just now, thanks Jackson for doing this and also thank you to everyone for the response to this. It will certainly boost the moral out there to know that people are thinking about them all :)

Hi there,

If you PM me I will gladly get some bits together next time I'm shopping and send a note with it all too! Great idea.

Sarah

Count me in..just PM the address :-)

count me in too please PM me please

just a thought ...you would think the supermarkets would donate foods etc if people were willing to collect/pack and send out, even if it gave them a bit of advertising for 'being generous'

well iv had my son get in touch with a friend of his who works in soccer sport and shes going to get me lots of shoe boxes from her branch as some people dont take them when they buy their trainers so i will have plenty of these :-)

PM me too, my boy is 20yrs and in Royal Engineers, he's on 48 hrs notice for posting anywhere, I live right next to Wootten Bassett and regularly see the parades, I'd love to post

Can you PM me the details and address please.

Jax :)

PM me too, please, Jackson.

A good childhood friend of mine was recently very severely injured while serving in Afghanistan (and only weeks after getting married :( ) so I'm only to happy to do any little thing to lift the spirits of the boys.

*edited to add*  Sorry, this might seem like a stupid question, but are there any women serving that might also benefit from a parcel?

thats a lovely idea jackson, can you pm me as well please?

how come the american camps have shops, mc donalds, supermarkets etc and our camps dont??? seems most unfair!

Thanks guys will pm now.

There are women in the Battalion, yes, but as our lads are infantry, not sure there are women on the front line as such. I will find out for you though. I know we have sent women out there, but will find the best way to get parcels to them.

Sam, British bases at certain places in Afghan do have those facilities, pizza hut (although in a caravan, lol), but our guys are at one of the 'forward operating bases', which are right on the front line, so anything there is very, very limited.

A good childhood friend of mine was recently very severely injured while serving in Afghanistan (and only weeks after getting married  ) so I'm only to happy to do any little thing to lift the spirits of the boys.

I am really sorry to hear this. Is he in Selly Oak, as I will be visiting there with my husband next Thursday after we attend a funeral for one of his men (my husband is back on R&R for two weeks shortly). If so, maybe I can return the favour by taking him something he'd like? Do you know what Battalion he is with? Sadly, injuries obviously aren't deemed important by the press anymore, as men are injured out there every single day, but we never hear of it. I am constantly amazed by how brave the men, especially the young ones, can be when facing lost limbs and other serious injuries.

I'm glad you mentioned not to send magazines such as Zoo, I didn't realise this would be classed as lewd.  Then again, I've never read one.  Is there anything fun we could enclose you can think of?

Are puzzle magazines all right? They often have pictures of young ladies on the cover - would that be deemed offensive?

If you PM my there details, I will get a box together, my partner is ex forces.

Thanks once again for the fantastic response to this. Hopefully I have pm'ed anyone, but if I have accidentally missed anyone, let me know?

I will try and find out if there are any fun things you can send, I am hoping to speak to my husband tonight. (fingers crossed!) I am pretty certain puzzle magazines would be fine. The restrictions apply because it is a Muslim country and Zoo etc do have topless in them, I think. (I'm assuming there are no topless ladies on the front of puzzle magazines?! lol)

Bike/car/gadget magazines would almost certainly be appreciated, as well as music based magazines.

I'll find out if there is anything else.

Thankyou.

I didn't get a PM :(

I'm off to the supermarket now...any excuse to shop..:) and what a great idea !!

Can you send me a PM too, please Jackson - realise you must be overwhelmed with requests just now!

I'll be on holiday for 2 weeks, but I can get something together when we get back.

The lads and lasses from the TA are also in Afghanistan ....have heard that my niece may well be sent out there later this year - and she had a 9 month posting to Basrah last year.

Thankyou. The response has been amazing. Yet again, I cannot thank people enough.

Loki's Mum, we have some TA attached to our battallion out there. I will keep everything crossed your niece does not have to go. My husband was in Basra in 2007, and was injured there.

pm'ing you now.

My stepson is in afghanistan and his dad had to buy stuff for him!!

My stepson is in afghanistan and his dad had to buy stuff for him!!

Sorry to hear you have a loved one out there. I hope with all my heart he returns safely.

I have to say, our lads have been issued everything they need in practical terms, and as far as they are concerned, the press stories are hugely exaggerated. Facilities are very basic, but as you'd expect in a war zone, and based where they are.

I do knwo thought,t hat a lot of the lads buy 'upgrades' of equipment themselves, my husband included. Boots they prefer, backpacks they prefer etc, but they are issued the things that they have bought, they just prefer a different version.

He needed basic equipment..but he did want trainer socks too which I thought was odd to go with his boots but its up to him is'nt it :) Hes ok though he's I would'nt say enjoying it just he told his dad if he was'nt doing that what else was there for him and it was the best decision he has ever made :)

Hiya

Would be honoured to send a box out there on a regular basis.....I assume adding a letter/note or something personal would be okay....?

He needed basic equipment..but he did want trainer socks too which I thought was odd to go with his boots but its up to him is'nt it  Hes ok though he's I would'nt say enjoying it just he told his dad if he was'nt doing that what else was there for him and it was the best decision he has ever made

It is a good career, lots of prospects. I am sure he will get home safely, I hope it comes round quickly for you.

I have pm'ed you Kazz. :-)

Just to say, I am away now until late tomorrow night, as I have to attend a funeral, so please don't thinK I am ignoring replies. I will get back to people ASAP.

And once again, thank you so much to everyone.

Please could you pm me, I would be delighted to send a few parcels. I don't have any family or friends out there, but do really appreciate the wonderful job our Forces do.

> I have to say, our lads have been issued everything they need in practical terms, and as far as they are concerned, the press stories are hugely exaggerated. Facilities are very basic, but as you'd expect in a war zone, and based where they are.
>

Hi Jackson glad to hear this is , it was not always the case :(.
As a wife of 21 years and still serving as it were, I am always happy to support our boys so please feel free to pm me and if you need any help co-ordinating also happy to help :)

Dxxxx

I've sent a PM to you Jackson, me & OH will send a box or 2 over - we've got loads of bike/car mags that we can send for those out there who are fellow 'petrol heads' like us.

Claire