Littlehampton students prepare festive care packages for soldiers overseas

For the third year in a row, the school is helping the charity Support Our Soldiers, which was formed to encourage members of the British Armed Forces serving overseas by sending morale boosting goodie boxes to those on the frontline.

Staff, parents and students at the school, in Station Road, have helped with decorating the lids of the boxes to make attractive gifts for the men and women of all services and ranks receiving them.

Nicola Toney in the school’s art department ran clubs at lunchtime to enable the students to make use of art equipment and try techniques they may not have tried before.

Some students also took time to fill boxes with lots of Christmas goodies, with suggestions from the charity including selection boxes, cakes, tinsel, decorations, puzzle books or small gifts.

Steve Grant, year ten team leader, formerly served with the 2nd Battalion, Rifle Brigade.

He said: “I am really pleased the school is supporting this charity. I often received a parcel when serving abroad and wondered how the boxes were put together.

“To see the students and staff at the school give so much of their time and energy is just magical. A huge thank you too to the Littlehampton Support Our Soldiers team who give so much of their time collating and filling the boxes.”

Support Our Soldiers was founded in 2003 by two servicemen to keep up morale during the war in Afghanistan. It picked up support nationally and became a registered charity in 2007.

Last year, the charity sent out 1,378 parcels across seven coordinators over the Christmas period. Penny Keen is the east and south east area coordinator in Littlehampton.

As well as sweet and savoury snacks, toiletries and gifts, parcels often include a personal letter or message for the recipient. Some charity supporters choose to donate £5 to cover the cost of a box instead of creating their own.

For more information, visit www.supportoursoldiers.org.uk or email [email protected].

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