Christmas Thanks for the 2020 Appeal

It was another successful Christmas appeal with a total of 1037 green boxes of morale sent overseas this Christmas. A huge thank you to all who took part and made this possible.

Here are some of the lovely messages we have received back –

Christmas 1

Hello, this is for Sandra and Mark D (Sutton), Sarah McC (Bradford) and the wider Support our Soldiers teams.

My name is ****, and I lead the team here in the Middle East, working alongside and providing financial and commercial support (so buying ‘stuff’) for all the ongoing military Operations in the whole region. Due to the security aspects I’m sure you’ll understand that I can’t tell you exactly where we are, but we are in hot and sandy climes, on a base locked down due to Covid-19, with very little provision to buy essentials or treats for ourselves.

There are 3 female MOD civil servants in our office (we are all volunteers), 1 female Staff Sergeant and 2 male Majors, all on 6 month postings, so including through Christmas. The post only comes in once a week at most, but we hadn’t had any for 2 weeks. A flight came in today with a good drop so the HQ next door (mostly RAF and RN personnel) took receipt of several parcels from Support our Soldiers and we were given yours. I can’t tell you what a lovely surprise this was and how well it has been received with all the lovely and thoughtful treats inside, you are angels 😊 A real feeling of home which made us all feel rather emotional.

We’re also very grateful for your lovely notes and, from talking to our own friends and families, understand how tough it is in the UK. We all experienced the 1st lockdown before we deployed but had the benefit of some lovely warm weather in the Spring, so can only imagine how hard it must be as the winter months envelope.

It isn’t easy being here during lockdown, despite the continual sunshine, mainly because we usually would have travelled around the region to properly fulfil our roles but are having to rely more on technology to allow us to get things done, plus of course we worry for our families at home. We have good wifi so are able to use the various social media platforms to talk to them and our friends. We have access to some sports facilities, lots of second hand books, and lots of board games, which all come with Covid safety rules.

We all so very much appreciate these thoughtful gifts and that you value what we do. It means a huge amount to us and we are very grateful.

Take care of yourselves,

Kind regards and very best wishes,

******


Christmas 2

Hi Sandra and Mark Davey

Just wanted to say a huge thank you for packing and sending this lovely Christmas box. I’m a big fan of orange and lemon slices! It’s like a little bit of home away from home. Hope you’ve all had a wonderful Christmas back home and haven’t been hit too hard by lockdown

Have a merry and safe Christmas,

Love **** x


Christmas 3

Dear Sandra and Mark,

Thank you so much for your efforts with SOS.

I’m currently in ***** flying around in Chinook helicopters supporting the French counter terrorism mission here.

My box was fantastic, such a great spread of goodies, with genuine thought put into it. I had a hand written letter from a lady called Victoria who lives in Shropshire. She didn’t leave an email address but if some how this email could make it to her, that would be great.

I hope you had a lovely Christmas yourselves, I’m looking forward to going home at the end of January after almost 4 months away from my wife and son who is 3 and my daughter who started walking last week!

Kind Regards,

Sgt ******


Christmas 4

Dear Mark and Sandra,

On behalf of myself and all the other serving men and women here on Op Newcombe that received one of your Christmas Boxes today, I would like to say a great big thank you.

Your kindness and generosity has touched all our hearts, especially considering the uncertain times we are all living in at the moment with COVID-19.  This is a true testament to you and everyone who is involved with your organisation.

We wish you all a very merry Christmas and a happy New Year from all at 1310 Flt

Many Kind Regards

“Churchill”

Sgt ******

1310 Flt


Christmas 4
Christmas 5Christmas 6

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Sandra,

Merry Christmas and seasons greetings!! Just a quick note to say thank you for the Xmas parcels. They were sincerely appreciated by the lads/lasses here on Op Newcombe in Mali. We had a lovely day yesterday with time to speak to family and friends, a decent meal (provided by our French hosts) and finished off with a couple of beers, a Christmas Quiz and a Detachment ‘Oscars’ ceremony! (Constituted of made up awards for things like ‘best supporting role’ for services to detachment morale).

I hope you had a good day yesterday and here’s to a good 2021.

Kind regards,

******


Dear Sandra and Mark,

I am writing to pass on my thanks for my Christmas box received from yourselves. I’m an aircraft engineer on Chinooks and it was a great boost to morale out here on Op Newcombe in Mali. Conditions are pretty basic out here so to receive such thoughtful gifts from home was fantastic. Despite the hot weather, with the decorations included in the box we managed to make the place feel pretty festive! We managed to enjoy most of the day off from work and the French even provided a glass of bubbly for those that were off shift to enjoy with dinner. I hope that life in the UK isn’t too bad at the moment. There were mutterings that we might be the lucky ones at the moment, missing the storms and the worst of Covid! (Everyone isolates for 2 weeks before coming out so there is fortunately no Covid here on camp.)

Again, many thanks for the gift box and even more for your support.

Kind regards,

******


Dear Sandra and Mark Davey,

I would like to thank you for my wonderful Christmas box.

I hope you had a really lovely Christmas and a happy new year! I’m sure things have been almost as strange for you all back in the UK as they were for us.

Thanks again, may 2021 be a better year

Kind regards,

******


To Sandra and Mark Davey

Seasons greetings and Happy New year. I just want to say a big thankyou for all your hard work and support. It really means so much to the men and women of HM ARMED FORCES, to know we are not forgotten especially at Christmas time.

Your parcel was opened on Christmas morning with great appreciation for the lovely treats and gifts it had to offer. I do hope you understand I didn’t manage to get any photos due to not having our phones on us at the time.

Have a great new year and let’s hope its a better one than 2020, though for me 2020 saw me become a new father to my Baby girl who is now 3 months old, so heres to new begins and better year from all this Covid-19.

All the best from a Cpl in the Queen’s Royal Hussars. Churchills own.


 

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