Source:  Worcester News

A CHARITY launched by a group of mums of British soldiers killed in Afghanistan is appealing to supermarkets, manufacturers and suppliers to help them fill boxes of home comforts for troops serving on the front line.

Lucy Aldridge, mum of Rifleman William Aldridge, from Bromyard, who was killed in a roadside explosion last year is one of the women who helped set up the Afghan Heroes charity.

It is now searching for companies to donate goods to be sent to the 10,000 troops on Armed Forces Day in June as part of its Thank A Soldier initiative.

Launched last September, the charity has grown to become one of the country’s highest profile military support groups. Its initial objectives were to set up a network of support groups for people who have also lost loved ones and to send a box of home comforts to every front- line soldier serving in Afghanistan.

For security and logistical reasons the Ministry of Defence has requested that the boxes contain specific items – including Bic pens, Wolsey cotton socks, Lynx shower gels, 125ml Lynx roll-on deodorant, DVDs, Colgate toothpaste, playing cards, Wisdom toothbrush, Neutrogena lip balm, TicTac mints and Wrigley’s chewing gum.

Because of this, the charity has said it cannot receive individual donations of items but is interestsed in hearing from businessses which can provide a large number of the products on the list.

On the weekend of March 6 and 7 a team of 70 volunteers will help to fill the boxes with the assorted goods which will then be shipped to Afghanistan for distribution to the troops in June.

Denise Harris, founder and trustee of Afghan Heroes, said: “Since we launched the charity the response has been quite phenomenal and I’d like to thank everyone who has so far raised funds by organising events and everyone who has donated money.

“The items the boxes will include are things we just take for granted.

“If by sending these boxes brings a small amount of comfort to the troops I’m sure this will go a long way to help them get through their time in Afghanistan.

“We shall be buying some goods with money donated by supporters so far but if any businesses have goods they can donate then we would like to hear from them.”

To help or to make donations phone 01749 830100 or e-mail info@afghanheroes.

org.uk. For further information, or to make a personal donation of money to the charity, visit afghanheroes.org.uk.