Plea to public from the
front line: “Please support us at Christmas – but not by sending
parcels!”. (For immediate release - images, video footage and audio
clips available)
Generous members
of the public who show their support for Armed Forces personnel by
sending welfare parcels to Afghanistan are being urged to stop and
think – and consider alternative and better ways they can back the troops.
There are many different ways in which people in the UK can thank
forces deployed overseas for their work and commitment, and
support practical efforts to make their free time more enjoyable
and comfortable.
But whilst the kindness and generosity
of people who send boxes of treats out to operational theatre are
greatly appreciated, the sheer volume of mail now being received -
and the unintentional inclusion of inappropriate items - is
causing serious difficulties for those charged with running the
distribution service of supplies, including post, in theatre.
As the amount of post traditionally increases in the run-up to
Christmas, officers and soldiers at Camp Bastion hope to highlight
the unintended consequences of the public’s generosity – and point
out other, much more effective ways that people can do their bit
to bring a little cheer to the front line.
The message comes direct from military personnel at the sharp
end, and their message is simple: troops on the ground in Helmand
Province really appreciate support from back home, but the
mountains of well-intentioned mail cause genuine difficulties
which outweigh the benefits.
The volume of mail arriving at Camp Bastion for onward
distribution is causing three key problems:
• Personal mail sent to deployed personnel by their loved ones
can become significantly delayed, amidst all the other items from
members of the public. Receipt of letters or gifts from a parent
or spouse can be very important for morale in theatre and for the
peace of mind of families back home. Whilst unsolicited parcels
are without doubt popular with recipients, the delays they
inevitably cause to the delivery of the much more anticipated
personal mail are considerably less welcome.
• The onward delivery of goodwill parcels to forward operating
bases necessitates additional re-supply flights and convoys which
places Service personnel at additional risk in what is already a
difficult and dangerous operating environment. Every time an
additional convoy is laid on, more troops are put at risk of enemy attack.
• The type of items included in many welfare parcels are either
already readily available in theatre or are simply not appropriate
for the Afghan environment, and therefore can go to waste.
The Ministry of Defence is very keen to ensure that members of
the public who wish to support British service personnel are able
to do so in a way which does not cause problems for the very
people at whom the help is directed. For that reason a list of
recommended Service charities, which accept public donations to
assist deployed personnel and their families back at home, has
been drawn up.
Some of these funds send welfare parcels to Afghanistan – but
they do so, in consultation and partnership with the Armed Forces,
in a co-ordinated way which does not put undue pressure on
resources. This list of charities can be found on the internet at
www.mod.uk/PublicSupportForOurServicePersonnel.
The newest of these charities, established this year, is the
SSAFA Operational Welfare Fund, which delivers items for which
troops on the ground have bid, to make their lives a little more
comfortable. More details on this charity can be found at www.mod.uk/OperationalWelfareFund.
Another of the charities is uk4u-Thanks! which delivers a
Christmas box to every soldier, sailor and airman deployed
overseas – in Afghanistan and elsewhere – in time for 25th
December. Its parcels are delivered via the supply chain, meaning
there is no impact on the mail network. This charity benefits from
corporate sponsorship but also appeals for private donations. A
2009 media launch for uk4u-Thanks! takes place on 1st December at
RAF Northolt (Newsdesks please note an Operational Note will follow)
Captain Charlie Malcolm, Officer Commanding the Operation HERRICK
Postal and Courier Squadron, based at Camp Bastion, explained:
“Unfortunately backlogs of mail do build up from time to time,
particularly at this time of year. For personnel deployed
overseas, personal mail from loved ones is very important. But the
system can be completely overwhelmed by the public’s generous
donations, which results in mail from family and friends being delayed
“The main cause of this is the huge and unmanageable number of
welfare parcels, sent by well meaning members of the public, to
recipients not personally known to the sender. In some cases the
intended recipients have left Afghanistan long ago. This mail
significantly delays the all important personal mail from
soldier’s families.
“While we recognise and are grateful for these generous
intentions, it would be better if members of the public could
channel their goodwill into making a donation to one of the MoD’s
recommended service charities. These charities send out packages –
containing items the troops really want and have requested – in a
co-ordinated way which does not hold up personal mail, or put
unnecessary pressure on resources.”
Lieutenant Colonel George Waters, Staff Officer with
responsibility for Operational Welfare at the Ministry of Defence,
added:
“I have served in Afghanistan myself and I have been the
recipient of several goodwill parcels from members of the public.
There is no denying that the knowledge that complete strangers are
thinking of you provides a boost to morale. But what the troops on
the ground want above all else is to receive their personal mail
and the sheer number of welfare parcels in the system causes
serious delays to those all-important personal items.
“Everybody in the Armed Forces in enormously grateful for the
generosity of people who want to support us. But the timely
delivery of letters and parcels from loved ones must always take
precedence over the delivery of packages from strangers.
“My message is unequivocal – if you wish to show your support for
the troops, the far and away most effective way of doing so is to
support an official registered service charity, such as SSAFA.”
Minister for the Armed Forces, Bill Rammell MP, said:
“I am delighted that so many members of the public are keen to
show their support for our Armed Forces this Christmas. I know how
much it means to our brave men and women serving overseas.
“However, it is very important to make sure that people express
their support in the right way to make the biggest difference in
helping our troops on the ground. Rather than sending their own
letter or parcel, I am strongly urging people to consider making a
donation of whatever they can afford to one of the excellent
Service charities on our recommended list. This is what those in
Afghanistan are saying they would like, as they want to make sure
letters from their family and friends get to them without delay.
“Once again, let me say thank you to the British public for their
incredible ongoing support for our Armed Forces.”
NOTES TO EDITORS
• Images and video footage, as well as audio of Capt Charlie
Malcolm speaking from Camp Bastion, is available for download from
www.defencenewsimagery.mod.uk
• Personnel and/or ministers may be available for interview and
broadcasters are invited to bid in the usual way, via the Ministry
of Defence Press Office, if this is of interest.
• For more information contact Ben Wilkinson in the Ministry of
Defence Press Office on 0207 218 9006 or 07768 316281.
Contacts:
Ministry of Defence
NDS.MOD@coi.gsi.gov.uk