Support Our Soldiers - 9,000 Thanks

Support Our Soldiers, famous for its work in sending thousands of goodie parcels out to the guys on the frontline, says that it is being overwhelmed at the moment by the number of people who want to show their support for the troops.

This is happening to come at a time when the MoD has asked for a temporary hold on the sending of welfare parcels out to the frontline to enable the free flow of essential supplies.

SOS has therefore come up with a new campaign: "9,000 Thanks". The aim is to send a thank-you note to every serviceman and woman currently deployed in Afghanistan and to let them know how proud we are of them.


So if you want to show your support to the 9,000 troops serving in Afghanistan, visit the SOS website on the link below.

Support Our Soldiers: 9,000 Thanks appeal

"Queen and Country" visits Liverpool

An exhibition of the Art Fund's "Queen and Country" project is visiting Liverpool (from 18th September until October 31st). The project is the work of war artist Steve McQueen who has produced facsimile postage stamps showing the portraits of soldiers killed in Iraq. In conjunction with the soldiers' families The Art Fund is seeking to get the Government and Royal Mail to release a set of official postage stamps based on these images to commemorate those who died for their Queen and Country.

A petition has been set up by the Art Fund which has already attracted 13,000 signatures so visit their website and add your name to the petition!

Link> The Art Fund: Queen and Country

Anglian Poacher: real ale for real heroes

Locals at the Lock, Stock and Barrel pub in Crowle, Scunthorpe have named a specially brewed beer after 2 Battalion, The Royal Anglian Regiment. The Battalion, also known as 'The Poachers', are currently on deployment in Iraq and one of the guys serving out there is Richard Manning, the son of the pub's landlords.
Naming the beer "Anglian Poacher" not only paid tribute to the Battalion but also helped raise funds for the Poachers' benevolent fund as £10 for each barrel broached and 10p for each pint sold will be donated to the appeal.
The Poachers' fund has been set up to provide support and assistance to injured soldiers and their families. Donations to the Fund can also be made through the Battalion's Wristband Appeal on the link below.

Nice one, LSB!

Link> This is Scunthorpe: Anglian Poacher real ale launched in Crowle

Peterborough Supports Heroes

A group of residents in Peterborough have got together determined to let the guys on the frontline know that they are not forgotten and the people back home are proud of what they are doing out in Afghanistan and Iraq. The group, led by Mrs Gloria Aschettino whose 18 year-old son Liam is serving with 51st Parachute Squadron out in Afghanistan, has been working hard getting together "shoebox" parcels to send out to the troops. The first batch of 50 parcels is now winging its way to Afghanistan and the contents ( including toiletries, sweets, DVDs, magazines and copies of the local paper) will soon be giving a morale-boosting lift to the recipients.

Mrs Aschettino said: "As a mother, you send over stuff for them as you do worry about what they are going through. But some people, for whatever reason, don't have families. Liam headed back to Afghanistan last week for another tour of duty and said getting parcels from home made a real difference to everyone out there.

Who said Peterborough doesn't support our Armed Forces?

Well done Gloria and all the other members of the group!

Link> Peterborough Telegraph: City sends boxes of love to our war heroes

Movie hero helps real heroes

Royal Princes William and Harry have recruited the movies' favourite British hero, James Bond to raise money for real British heroes injured on Her Majesty's military service. The Princes have persuaded the producers of the new Bond film, Quantum of Solace, to donate profits from the film's London premiere to Help for Heroes and the Royal British Legion.

A statement from the movie's producers said: "We are thrilled Prince William and Prince Harry have agreed to attend the world premiere of our latest James Bond film, and are pleased this event will help raise much needed funds to support the servicemen of our country through the Princes' chosen charities".

Help for Heroes was launched last October to help wounded servicemen and women. The charity has already raised £6 million to help provide a swimming pool and gym complex at Headley Court Rehabilitation centre in Surrey and continues to raise money (a further £2million so far) to ensure that the wounded get the best practical help and support.

Asked by Prince William what he was doing supporting these service charities, Bond replied: "Just keeping the British end up, sir."

Nice one, James!

Link> The Sun: Bond film boost for Our Boys

Sending goody bags to soldiers

I've read about two groups this week (the Devizes branch of the Royal British Legion and The Grantham Journal) who are busy getting together boxes of treats to send out to the guys on the frontline and I am sure that many other individuals and organisations around the country are doing the same thing.

Christmas is the obvious time for sending out parcels and organisations like Support Our Soldiers and UK4U do an incredible job each year organising, boxing up and sending out thousands of Christmas boxes to cheer up members of the Armed Forces who are serving away from home. But as Cath Newman of the Devizes branch of the Royal British Legion says: "Our troops need cheering up all year round. If we can make them feel as though the people back home are thinking of them and care for them, their jobs will be made that much easier".

The Support Our Soldiers website provides detailed guidance on how to send care and welfare parcels to the troops. Sending to Soldiers also provides a guide to sending items to BFPO addresses.

Remember: A soldier is not just for Christmas

Link> Support Our Soldiers: Sending Care Packages
Link> Grantham Journal: Great response to Journal shoebox appeal
Link> Legion's bid to cheer up troops

Royal Anglian Regiment: Poachers Wristband Appeal

2 Battalion The Royal Anglian Regiment, The Poachers, is now on active service in the Middle East having started its six month tour with 7th Armoured Brigade in Basra, Iraq in May.

Being in a warzone casualties are expected and so the Battalion has launched an appeal to raise money for an emergency fund to help those families who might be affected by the conflict. 10,000 Wristbands in the Battalion's colours and bearing the legend "Supporting our Heroes - The Poachers" have been produced with a view to raising £30,000 for the Fund.

Captain Martyn Cook said: "The fund will help the living and remember the dead. Money raised will be used to provide assistance to those families affected by modern conflicts. It will be used to provide money for welfare, transport and other short term issues. Some of the money will also be used to help build a permanent memorial to all Royal Anglian soldiers killed on operations."

Wearing a wristband will not only help raise funds, it will also show support for the guys out in Iraq.

Visit the Battalion's website on the link below for details.

Link> Royal Anglian Regiment: Poachers Wristband Appeal
Link> Bedford Today: Support soldiers by wearing wristband

Poppy Appeal raises record £30million

The 2007 Royal British Legion's Poppy Appeal raised a record £30million, a 15% increase on the previous year. Sadly the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have correspondingly increased the demand for the Legion's services with a 30% increase in the number of ex-servicemen and women aged under 35 seeking help.

Russell Thompson, Director of National Events and Fundraising said: “The welfare work of The Royal British Legion is close to the nation’s hearts and minds, and so is support for our Armed Forces. The result of the 2007 Poppy Appeal confirms that. On behalf of the Legion and its beneficiaries I’d like to pass on a huge thank you to every volunteer who helped us collect this money and every person who wore their poppy with pride in November.”

Link> Royal British Legion: £30 million Poppy Appeal breaks Legion's record

Pedalling for Pounds: The Help For Heroes Bike Ride starts

Yesterday saw the start of the Halfords Help for Heroes Bike Ride from HMS Victory in Portsmouth. The 350 mile route the 300 cyclists will cover takes them over the English Channel to Caen, through northern France, passing many of the battlefields of WW1 and WW2 along the way, and back to London via Dunkirk and Dover. The sponsorship money raised by the intrepid cyclists will go towards the Help For Heroes fund for the rehabilitation of injured service personnel.

The cyclists are due back at Horse Guards Parade on 1st June - just in time to join in with the finale of the Great British Hero Ride. This is another event overseen by Help for Heroes in which up to 3000 riders from all over the UK have been invited to cycle to London to raise funds for the charity.

Good luck to all involved!

Link> Halfords Help for Heroes Bike Ride
Link> Great British Hero Ride
Link> The Sun: Our heroes' pedal of honour

100 Miles for Nine Smiles

A 100 mile charity walk has been organised by mothers of Royal Anglian soldiers killed in Afghanistan. Money raised by the walk will go towards the Regiment's Afghanistan Memorial Fund; originally aimed at raising £100,000, the Fund now stands at over £300,000.

The announcement of the walk comes just ahead of the first anniversary of the death of Corporal Darren Bonner, one of nine soldiers from the Royal Anglian Regiment's 1st Battalion killed in action. Darren's Mum, one of the organisers of the walk, said: “I want to keep Darren's memory alive and help his friends left behind. This is not just about Darren - there were 30 of them injured on that day alone and many of them are still suffering. Whatever people think of the war, these soldiers are out there fighting for us back home. They were scared to go out there but they knew they had a job to do. That kind of courage deserves recognition. All the boys stood out there side by side, shoulder to shoulder. This is all about helping them all, not just the memories of those who have fallen and are left behind.”

The Nine Royal Anglians who lost their lives fighting in Afghanistan are: Pte Aaron McClure, L/Cpl Alex Hawkins, Pte Chris Gray, Cpl Darren Bonner, Pte Darren George, Capt David Hicks, Pte John Thrumble, Pte Robert Foster and Pte Tony Rawson.

The 100 mile walk will start at Reading on 7th July and will end at the Duxford Imperial War Museum on 13th July.

Donate online at: www.justgiving.com/christinebonner

Link> AV: 100 Miles for Nine Smiles raises £25,000!
Link> EDP24: Mums unite to honour fallen sons
Link> Fenland Citizen: In memory of Darren
Link> Dereham Times: Mums' tributes to soldier sons

Petition to remove ATM charges for Service personnel

A petition has been launched by Support our Soldiers to urge the banks and the Government to remove the charges for withdrawing cash from ATMs at military camps.
Many new recruits and other serving personnel unable to leave their barracks are having to pay as much as £2.50 to withdraw their hard earned wages. The introduction of the Pay As You Dine scheme - the privatisation of the army cookhouse - hasn't helped either as soldiers need to access their bank accounts to get the cash out to pay for a meal thereby adding £2.50 to its cost.
The Government has already introduced free cash withdrawals from ATMs in 'underprivileged areas'. If you think they should be doing the same for service personnel, sign the petition on the link below.

Link> e-Petitions: ATM Charge Removal

City Salute to the Armed Forces

At last evening's sunset pageant in the City of London, thousands of people came to thank the British Armed Forces and their families for the work they do and the sacrifices they have made on our behalf. Prominent in the crowd were Princes William and Harry who joined in the applause given in particular to the servicemen and women injured on the frontline. Their message to the crowds packed around St Paul's Cathedral was simple: "They need to know just how grateful we are for the job which they do on our behalf so uncomplainingly and so well."

The Salute, compered by the UK's next PM, Jeremy Clarkson, featured fly-pasts by RAF Typhoons and Chinook helicopters, Household Cavalry Armoured and Mounted detachments, the band of the Royal Marines, a salvo from the guns of the WW2 cruiser HMS Belfast and finished with a son et luminere on the facade of St Pauls. The most memorable events however were when, on giant TV screens, a couple of injured soldiers related what had happened to them and how they were coping with their injuries.

The City Salute Appeal will be raising thousands of pounds for Help for Heroes and the Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Families Association (SSAFA).
Link> City Salute

Link> BBC: Thousands attend forces spectacle
Link> The Sun: Princes in tribute to hero troops
Link> The Telegraph: William and Harry join sunset salute
Link> MoD Defence News: William and Harry salute "remarkable qualities" of the Armed Forces

ITV's ill-gotten gains are charities' gain

ITV is to donate a large chunk of the illicit proceeds it received from phone-in scams to four forces' charities. Help for Heroes, Combat Stress, SSAFA and the Royal British Legion are each set to receive £616,000.

The receipt of this money will bring the Help for Heroes campaign very close to its target of £6million which is to be spent on providing a new pool and gym at the tri-service Headley Court Defence Medical Rehabilitation Centre .

Sometimes something good comes from something bad.

Link> The Sun: ‘Rip-off’ £600k donated by ITV
Link> The Sun: Hi-tech Hero aid pool unveiled

Army Benevolent Fund: World's Biggest Curry Lunch

The World's Biggest Curry Lunch is a fun, simple fundraising idea which invites everyone across the UK to host a curry meal for their family, friends and colleagues in return for making a donation to the Army Benevolent Fund (ABF). The ABF is the soldiers' charity which provides support to soldiers, retired soldiers and their families in times of need.
Big Curry Week begins on 21 April and the ABF is encouraging participants to host their curry meal throughout this week.
Today the Lord Mayor of the City of London hosted his Curry Lunch at the Guildhall . HRH Prince Charles and General Sir Richard Dannatt, Chief of the General Staff, along with about 1,000 other guests tucked into chicken masala and poppadams inside the largest Indian restaurant this side of the Ganges. It is hoped that the meal will raise about £200,000 to go towards the charity's current operations fund helping those serving in Afghanistan and Iraq. It is reported that the guests were still in the marquee trying to sort out the bill at 02:00 on Friday morning.
Link> Army Benevolent Fund: World's Biggest Curry Lunch
Link> The Press Association: Charles joins servicemen for curry

BFBS: The Big Salute

The British Forces Broadcasting Service's annual charity fundraiser, The Big Salute takes place over the week starting Sunday May 4th. Billed as the Forces' own 'Red Nose Day', the global event is aimed at getting members of Britain's Armed Forces and their families and friends to help raise money for Service charities.

The nominated charities for 2008 are BLESMA (The British Limbless Ex-Service Men's Association), Combat Stress, Headley Court, Veterans Aid (which helps homeless ex-Servicemen) and St Dunstan's (which helps Service personnel with sight loss).

Some celebrities already supporting the event are Ewan McGregor, James Blunt, Al Murray, and the Osbournes.

Helen Williams, BFBS Television Controller, said: "We wanted to show our respect, admiration and support for those who serve their country, particularly those who have been seriously injured as a result. And we want to encourage all members of the British Forces community to join in with our campaign." Details and where to buy wristbands and t-shirts are on th Big Salute website:

Link> BFBS: The Big Salute

Royal Logistic Corps - Easy Riders

A team from 5 Training Regiment, Royal Logistics Corps are to embark on a round-Britain motorcycle ride to raise money for the 'Help for Heroes' campaign and to raise the profile of the RLC TA. The team will be using 'Army-issue' Harley Davidson bikes and will be following Britain's coastline for about 4,200 miles. The ride will be starting in Grantham, Lincs on 6th June and finishing at the TA100 Centenary Event at Lincoln on 19th June.

Get your motor runnin'
Head out on the highway
Lookin' for adventure
And whatever comes our way

Link> MoD Oracle: RLC TA Bikers Provide 'Help For Heroes'
Link> MoD Army: Royal Logistic Corps - Territorial Army
Link> Help for Heroes

Haribo: sweet gift to Royal Anglian Afghanistan Fund

German sweet manufacturer Haribo has donated a thousand bags of sweets as raffle prizes at an event to raise money for injured British soldiers and their families. The money raised by the raffle will go to the Royal Anglian Afghanistan Memorial Fund.

The company's generosity was motivated by an article on a Huntingdon newspaper's website which featured Royal Anglian soldier, Josh Lee who was injured during the Viking's recent deployment in Afghanistan. In the article Josh spoke about his experiences in Helmand and how the troops serving in Afghanistan looked forward to receiving Haribo sweets as a way of keeping their spirits up.

A spokesman for Haribo said: "We saw The Hunts Post article on the internet and are always happy to see that our sweets make soldiers happy and give them a little fun moment.... I hope the event will be a big success and that the raffle prizes we contributed will help to raise some money for the fund."

Nice one, Haribo! Good thinking, Josh!

Link> Hunts Post: Sweet idea for soldiers
Link> AV: Royal Anglian Regiment: Fund nears £300,000

City Salute: sunset pageant on 7th May

A major pageant is being organised by Live Nation, the company behind last year's Concert for Diana, and businesses and workers in the City of London to celebrate and support the UK's Armed Forces and to raise funds for rehabilitation facilities for the treatment of wounded servicemen and women. The event will take place on May 7th and the money raised will go to the Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Families Association, the Help for Heroes charity and to Headley Court, the tri-service military rehabilitation centre.

The City Salute website explains the reasons for holding the event: The City of London thanks British troops and their families for the sacrifices they make on our behalf, through an Appeal and a special Pageant.The sunset pageant in front of St Paul’s Cathedral on Wednesday 7th May 2008 will be a celebration of the qualities of our Servicemen and Women: their courage, modesty, toughness, and humour. The event is a very personal tribute, being organised by the men and women of the City to demonstrate their admiration for the Armed Forces - who are in many cases their friends and neighbours, or their own relations. City Salute is not about foreign policy – it's about people, about the members of our society who choose to serve, and to go cheerfully and uncomplainingly wherever they are sent on our behalf; and about the families they leave behind here at home.

The full event programme is still to be finalised but confirmed are:

• Band of HM Royal Marines marching through Temple Bar.
• Ceremonial troops and armoured vehicles of The Household Cavalry.
• RAF fly past.
• Son et lumière at St Paul’s Cathedral.
• Giant screens showing specially commissioned short films about the lives of the forces and their families.

The event has the support of the Royal Brothers and the Lord Mayor, David Lewis, who said: "The City of London is immensely proud of its historic and very close association with the armed forces, which dates back to when the City was founded. I am delighted that through City Salute we have an opportunity to celebrate these links, to salute the men and women of the armed forces, and to show our gratitude for the courage and forbearance displayed by them and by their families."

Details are available on the City Salute website, www.citysalute.org/, where online donations can also be made.
Link> The Evening Standard: Princes' salute to military

Royal Anglian Regiment: memorial appeal

The Duke of Gloucester, C-in-C of the Royal Anglian Regiment together with Ross Kemp, Kate Adie and Martin Bell joined other guests at the launch of an appeal for funds to extend the memorial to Royal Anglians killed in action.
A high-tech memorial is planned for the regiment's museum at Duxford in Cambridgeshire and is likely to cost in the region of £200,000. It will include a digital archive which will use audio/visual displays to commemorate those who have been killed on active service, along with showing what day-to-day life is like for soldiers in modern battle theatres.

An appeal to build a more traditional memorial has already raised in the region of £300,000. This circular memorial will have a statue of a Royal Anglian infantryman and will also be located at Duxford. It will carry the names of the 68 soldiers killed in action since the regiment's formation 50 years ago.

Those honoured will include Pte Chris Gray, L/ Cpl George Davey, Cpl Darren Bonner, L/ Cpl Alex Hawkins, Pte Tony Rawson, Capt David Hicks, Pte John Thrumble, Pte Aaron James McClure and Pte Robert Foster who all lost their lives fighting for their country in Afghanistan.
Funds have also gone directly to some of the 57 soldiers wounded on the tour, to help them recover from their injuries.

Link> CambridgeNews: Royals enlist to help appeal

Link> EDP24: Regiment's heroes' stories will go down in history
Link> Leicester Mercury: Help us honour heroes

Yellow Ribbon for the Forces Week 2008

Yellow Ribbon for the Forces Week
24th to 31st March 2008

Yellow Ribbon for the Forces Week is aimed at raising money for and awareness of the Yellow Ribbon Foundation and its chosen charity this year – uk4uThanks, the people behind the Christmas Boxes for the Troops.
The Foundation, which plans to "turn a whole town yellow" and the release of 1500 yellow balloons as a grand finale to the awareness week, is encouraging people to hold coffee mornings, a Dress Yellow Day at work or school and other events to raise funds for their work

Link> The Yellow Ribbon Foundation

Link> Yellow Ribbon for the Forces Week