Would you want to send a Soldier a parcel, or would you send some cash to the government?

I have just been reading the Daily Post and i came across this article

(See Link)

The articles title is

Don't stop us sending parcels to troops says mother of Llywelyn Evans

Basically the government is asking all the people who send parcels to the soldiers to stop because the military postal service is being swamped, and it can't cope. They also say it puts the delivery personnel at extra unjustifiable risk.

What more risk than the soldier out at the front lines?

The government want people to stop sending parcels and instead make a donation to a "charity".

This is a quote from the article;

But now the Ministry of Defence wants people to donate cash to a new charity that will buy sports and other leisure equipment for troops instead.

Now i have a couple of things to say about that;

1. I bet every soldier loves a gift box from home, even if it is from someone they don't know. It must give them a morale booster to open a box and find some sweets, a magazine, maybe just a small toy and even a pack of cards. I'm sure they appreciate that people are thinking of them back home.

2. The Ministry of Defence wants the public to donate cash to a 'government charity'. Hell they don't equip our troops as it is, so why would we trust them to with our money. Would all the money donated go to the soldiers, or would a significant slice be cut from the money for 'administration purposes'?

Another quote from the article says;

An MoD spokesman said: “People often don’t realise the unintended consequences of their actions.

“The EFFMS, which enables families and close friends of service personnel to send packages out to theatre, can be swamped by the public’s generosity. All important personal mail can be delayed.”

One simple solution is hire more people.

If you want to help either way here is some infomation from the article;

Mrs Evans is appealing for donations of small Christmas cakes, puddings and biscuits to be left at Ty Llywelyn centre in Ffordd yr Orsedd or Ty Hapus centre in Ffordd Penrhyn, both Llandudno.

An awareness day for Operation Welly activities will be held at the Victoria Centre, Mostyn Street, Llandudno on Tuesday November 24 from 11am. A coffee morning in aid of Operation Welly will be held at Gloddaeth United not Reformed Church, Chapel Street, Llandudno on Saturday November 28, 10am-noon.

Or

To donate to the MoD’s Operational Welfare Fund go to bmycharity.com/V2/welfarefund or call 0207 463 922. Alternatively, cheques payable to the SSAFA Operational Welfare Fund can be sent to SSAFA Forces Help, FREEPOST, NAT 19507, London, SE1 2BR


If we can't get our boys and girls back home, at least lets give them a morale booster.