The equipment they use to fight the enemy costs billions to develop and incorporates the very latest technology – but now British troops serving on Afghanistan’s front line are about to see their down time made brighter with the provision of modern consumer gadgets.

A range of items including portable DVD players, games consoles and solar-powered chargers for MP3 players and other personal equipment, are to be supplied to Afghanistan’s Forward Operating Bases as an initial project to get a new type of charity fund under way.

Thanks to generous sponsorship from Littlewoods and Woolworths.co.uk and the Daily Mirror newspaper, the Operational Welfare Fund, publicly launched on Monday by the Ministry of Defence and SSAFA Forces Help, has received a valuable kick-start, and will be able to start shipping these gadgets out to Theatre in a matter of days.

Going forward, the Operational Welfare Fund represents an excellent way in which members of the public can demonstrate their support for Armed Forces personnel deployed overseas, fighting to protect the UK’s national interest.

For the first time, men and women deployed on operations will be given the opportunity to decide what the money raised for them through the public’s generous donations will be spent on – and any type of bid will be considered, whether it’s for provision of a small luxury or assistance with a major project.

One of the key aims behind the new fund is to give members of the public – who have consistently demonstrated their generosity towards service personnel – a genuine alternative to sending their own parcels to operational theatre in the run-up to Christmas. Although it is recognized and appreciated that people have the best of intentions when they send festive gifts out to troops, the MoD is stressing that donating to the Operational Welfare Fund represents a much more effective way of supporting the troops.

Vice Admiral Peter Wilkinson, the Deputy Chief of the Defence Staff (Personnel), explains:

“We are extremely grateful for the levels support currently being demonstrated from all walks of society which provide a telling testimony to the respect and affection in which our Armed Forces are held. Such support means a great deal to Service personnel, particularly those on operations. The generosity and heartfelt support of communities at home is important in keeping up morale, often in very difficult conditions.

“However, experience over the past two years has shown that the operational mail system can be swamped by the public’s generosity with the result that the all important personal mail becomes significantly delayed. While parcels from the public are without doubt popular with recipients, the delays they inevitably cause to the delivery of personal mail are considerably less welcome.

“The delivery of goodwill parcels to forward operating bases also necessitates additional resupply flights and convoys which places personnel at additional risk in what is already a difficult and dangerous operating environment.

“If people could instead donate to the new SSAFA Operational Welfare Fund, their generosity will go much, much further – and without the unintended side-effects of delaying personal mail.

“I am delighted that we have been able to get the Operational Welfare Fund well and truly under way by putting together these excellent packages for personnel serving in forward operating bases. As the fund is built up, I look forward to seeing what ideas our soldiers, sailors and airmen have for other ways the money can be used to make life on operations a little brighter.”

Armed Forces Minister, Bill Rammell MP, said:

“SSAFA Forces Help has a long history of doing great work to improve the welfare of our service personnel, so I am delighted that we have been able to team up with them to launch this exciting project.

“The Operational Welfare Fund will make a real difference to the men and women serving in theater, and provides an excellent means by which the public can show their support.

“I appreciate, just as members of the Armed Forces do, the public’s great generosity when they choose to send Christmas parcels out to the troops. Public support is such a great morale-booster. But I really cannot stress enough that donating to the Operational Welfare Fund is a much more effective way of supporting our servicemen and women.”

Source: Ministry of Defence

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