Support Our Soldiers appeals to Dorset residents (From Thisisdorset)

Support Our Soldiers appeals to Dorset residents

10:47am Tuesday 14th February 2012 in Latest By Harry Hogger

DORSET residents are being urged to show their support for our troops on the frontline.

Gloria Ashwell, from Charminster, is spearheading the Dorset effort of an appeal by the Support Our Soldiers charity for gift parcels to send to armed forces personnel overseas.

She is appealing for shoeboxes and items to fill them with – such as toiletries or sweet and savoury snacks – so they can be dispatched to named people serving their country abroad.

Gloria, 56, said: “The thing about this campaign is it supports all the services, whether it be Army, Navy or Air Force, and all the ranks and we send boxes to named individuals so we are not just sending out a load of boxes all at once.

“In the past when organisations have sent out boxes on their own there has been criticism from other families that it’s slowed down the other post.

“We have a fixed number that go out every month and this is arranged with the Ministry of Defence.”

Troops can apply themselves for a gift parcel through the Support Our Soldiers website or a senior officer can apply on their behalf.

Gloria explained: “Many people get a lot of mail but there are some who, for whatever reason, don’t get anything and their senior officers will of course notice this and they will also apply to us.”

Support Our Soldiers mainly delivers to Afghanistan and the support ships there so items such as skin cream and chapsticks are particularly welcome donations as troops face winter in the desert.

Gloria, whose professional background is in mental health nursing, said she met a number of former troops who had fallen on hard times in the course of her work and wanted to do something to support them. She said: “They have not previously had anybody doing this in Dorset and it’s kind of trickled down from the north.

“I became involved in the Royal British Legion as a case worker and I wanted to extend that practical element of helping people.

“This is something very practical I can do where it’s going to a named person.”

To make a donation and help Gloria contact her on 01305 250826 or by email at dorset@supportoursoldiers.co.uk

Helping armed forces

Support Our Soldiers was formed in March 2003 to encourage and provide support for members of the British Armed Forces serving overseas and their families at home.

Over the last nine years more than 100,000 morale boosting care parcels have been sent out by the charity to those serving on the frontline and countless families have been helped through the difficult experience of having a loved one away on a tour of duty.

A list of items that are recommended to be sent out to the troops is available on the charity’s website.

Support Our Soldiers also works closely with medical teams in Afghanistan and the UK to provide support for the injured. For more information about Support Our Soldiers visit www.supportoursoldiers.co.uk