Hale Village Comfort/Shoe Box Appeal

The below article is courtesy of Bill Sergaent-Chairman of the Hale Branch of the Royal British Legion.

Since May 2008, members of the Hale Branch of the Royal British Legion have been sending shoeboxes to troops serving in Afghanistan and in 11 months have sent more than 5,100 boxes. This has been achieved with the help of the people of Merseyside who have donated an assortment of items which we know our servicemen and women appreciate. In return, we have received over 100 letters of thanks, all emphasising how good it is to know that people back home appreciate the work they are doing and the risks they are taking – while the contents of the boxes are greatly appreciated, morale is lifted by the knowledge that complete strangers are prepared to make the effort to let them know they are not forgotten. One such letter was sent by Lieutenant (then 2nd Lt.) Ian Jones, Royal Engineers. Ian is a Liverpool man who served for 3 years with Merseyside Police before deciding his future lay with the Army. He applied for a commission and passed out with the rank of 2nd Lieutenant. He recently returned home after more than 7 months in Afghanistan and called in on the Hale Branch monthly meeting to personally thank those involved with the shoeboxes. He outlined some of his experiences in Afghanistan and stressed the value of the shoeboxes which made life more pleasant for those serving but were particularly welcomed by some of their overseas colleagues who otherwise receive very little mail or news from home. Since his return, Ian has been promoted to Lieutenant. The Branch intends to continue sending their boxes while British troops are in Afghanistan and welcome any help whatsoever. If you would like to help, contact Bill Sergaent on 0151 724 3171 or Don Allerston on 0151 425 3375. A list of items we send is available from Bill or Don and any donated will be picked up by members of the Hale Branch, Royal British Legion.