Our ‘Stockings for Soldiers’ campaign has been a great success and it was touching to see all the heartfelt messages and  thoughtful gifts going out to all our brave troops in Afghanistan. Dozens of soldiers who would otherwise have received nothing this Christmas will now be cheered by the kindness and generosity of so many Watford residents.

However, some have tried to derail the campaign. Below is my response to Sal Brinton’s letter (see further below) that discouraged local people from adding a human touch to their generosity this Christmas.

Dear Sal,

Thank you for your response of November 25th.

While I appreciate your concerns arising in the wake of MoD reports, I completely disagree with you and suggest that if you had joined me in this campaign you would fully understand all the finer points of the campaign and help to bring a much-needed morale boost to our troops serving in Afghanistan.

If you had joined me in supporting this worthwhile cause, you would also know that there are many community groups in Watford who were independently sending parcels to troops. Our campaign has given these generous groups a more co-ordinated channel to send these gifts that might otherwise been sent indiscriminately. In this respect we have on a small scale streamlined an otherwise disordered process and helped ensure that the parcels will be delivered to those who need them most, efficiently and safely.

We had tried our upmost to keep politics out of this with everything being sent only bearing a sticker saying ‘From your friends and supporters in Watford.’ We are obviously quite disappointed now that you have put this campaign in the political arena and therefore feel it appropriate to brief the local press on its success.

We also feel it is important that this type of support is maintained throughout the year and thus will continue our campaign in the new year. I hope you will support this campaign and also honour the commitments you have made to serving forces.

Kind Regards,

Richard

From Sal Brinton, dated 25th November 2009:

Dear Richard

Thank you for your letter of 16 November. I have put a hard copy in the post as well, but hope we can agree to write to each other by email in future – much faster, given the postal services in Watford.

I fear your desire to publicly support our superb troops may be clouding your judgement.

I am truly sorry that you feel unable to take the advice of senior military personnel and the MOD to encourage the generous folk in Watford to donate to recognised forces charities rather than send unsolicited packages.

While I understand your reluctance to listen to my advice, please do take the time to contact, the BFPO, MOD or SSFA and find out why they, not I, are urging people not to send packages directly to our soldiers. You could of course read their publically stated appeals on this BBC article http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8377157.stm where Capt Charlie Malcolm, who is in charge of post at Camp Bastion in Helmand province, states: “For personnel deployed overseas, personal mail from loved ones is very important. But the system can be completely overwhelmed by the public’s generous donations, which results in mail from family and friends being delayed. The main cause of this is the huge and unmanageable number of welfare parcels, sent by well-meaning members of the public, to recipients not personally known to the sender.” The MoD said the onward delivery of parcels to troops on the front line required additional flights and convoys which placed the personnel manning them at extra risk of attack. You can also see the moving interview by Squadron Leader Parr on the same site.

I feel strongly about this matter, not least because my daughter is in the TA, and she has close friends serving in Afghanistan at present. I know how much they value their letters and gifts from family and friends. I would be horrified if anything we did inadvertently delayed news and presents from home for our wonderful troops. I hope you will agree with this.

Yours sincerely

Sal