Scots RAF base sending presents to Afghanistan

A SPECIAL band of Santa’s helpers has been established at RAF Lossiemouth to ensure that the 400 personnel from the Moray base serving in Afghanistan will not be forgotten at Christmas.
The team pack parcels for personnel in Afghanistan. Picture: MoDThe team pack parcels for personnel in Afghanistan. Picture: MoD
The team pack parcels for personnel in Afghanistan. Picture: MoD

The station is sending individually addressed parcels to all personnel who will be away from home and serving in Afghanistan over the Festive Period.

Jennese Bailie, a Personnel Services Flight Welfare Clerk, has taken the lead in the project and has been joined by a team of volunteers to help pack the parcels and post them by the end of the month.

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A station spokeswoman said: “The parcels will contain shower gel, a Santa hat, mints, tinsel, hot drink sachets etc. to remind those who are away from home over Christmas that they are still in the station’s thoughts. The parcels, however, will not include chocolate this year due to the hot weather melting it before they reach the individual. Jennese and her team will be posting around 50 parcels a day to make sure they are sent on time to reach the individuals before Christmas.

“The Station Commander, Group Captain Mark Chappell, has also written a personalised Christmas card to all RAF Lossiemouth’s personnel out of area over the festive period.”

Ms Bailie said: “We’re all really happy to take a little time to make up the packages we send out to our deployed personnel. We think they deserve our support; it’s difficult enough being away from your family and friends for long periods at any time of the year, but it’s a little harder at Christmas.

We know our guys appreciate the fun gifts we send to them, and it’s good to let them know we haven’t forgotten about them, especially the 80 personnel who are not deployed as part of a formed unit.”