Matt makes troops aid call

Matt’s partner, 22-year-old Mitchell Hilliard from Dunstable, is a member of the Third Battalion of The Mercian Regiment, part of the famous Seventh Armoured Brigade or Desert Rats.

He has just been sent to the front-line with the first extended nine-month tour.

In that time the young soldiers, many, like Mitchell, on their first tour, will only get two weeks R & R.

The army normally works in six month tours but, because they are in the throes of withdrawing from the country, they have extended deployment to avoid sending out further troops.

“It’s a long time to be away from home,” said Matt, who works at Sculptors in Lake Street.

“For some, like my partner, it’s their first experience on tour and they will all be away for Christmas.

“I decided to do something along the lines of the annual shoebox appeal.

“Parcels 4 Soldiers will run until the end of the month and it’s a way of boosting morale.

“I’m asking for donations of any dried foods, toiletries, clothing, sweets and small games.

“Apparently Love Hearts and those small bags of Haribo are real favourites with the soldiers because they slip easily into their pockets.

“Some of the troops, who are stationed near military headquarters at Camp Bastion, have all sorts of amenities, like a KFC and McDonalds, but some, like Mitchell, are in the middle of nowhere.”

Drop donations off at Sculptors or email Matt [email protected] and he’ll collect.