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Free toys for kids of armed forces serving in Afghanistan

edited 16 November 2010 at 10:21PM in UK armed forces MoneySaving
41 replies 13.9K views
124

Replies

  • What a shame some people are so small minded. I think this is a wonderful offer for all the innocent children that are without their mummy or daddy's at christmas this year! With all due respect those that are being made redundant will have packages from their redundancy and will also be eligible for help from the welfare. It is an awful situation to be in but us forces families that are losing our husbands and the children that are losing their Daddy's won't have the luxury of having a proper family christmas. Bear in mind that some of these children won't be having their parents come home at all. What an awful prospect. You mention about being in full time employment and all these other benefits that we get but are you actually aware of these so-called benefits because I really don't see them as anything to write home about for a start and they don't go anywhere near close to being without your partner or Daddy for 6 months a year in a very dangerous war zone. Does it really hurt to bring a smile to the children's faces through sponsorship when their parents are fighting for your country? There are enough adverts on telly for charities that people give to to support other countries so actually I think its nice that these children are getting noticed.
    I'd be interested to know what e-mail address the code is being sent to as I know my hubby hasn't had anything as of yet and goes next week. Is it the MoD that are sending the e-mails out?
  • i am a daughter of a serviceman and now the wife of one too, with 2 young children of my own. i find it so disheartening that people would be so negative towards this.
    while i knew what i was getting into when i married my hubby i wasnt born with the understanding that my dad would be going away for months at a time you can explaing to a 3 year old daddy still loves you but wont be able to see you for 6 months but the child wont understand, its not the children who signed up for the life of a 1 parent family for 6 months every 3 years.
    and as pp's have said while the forces may get a ''cushy life with benefits''(not in my opinion) atleast at christmas you will be able to see, hold and cherish your loved ones. trust me its no good for a dad when he comes home after months away and his son doesnt even know who he is and screams everytime he goes near him, so please stop trashing what you may call a pr stunt and remember its about the children themselves not the service men/women

    luckily my hubby has recently got back but for all the wives,hubbys, mothers ect who will have some1 serving OUR country i pay my respects and i will be raising a glass to all!!!
    2010 wins: cadburys cream egg ball, £30 voucher,micropet, wii newu game, micro-chips x6, doritos chips & dip, koala x2, Eylure goody bag , Fanimal x2, Jaffa cake goal posts x2, ST IVES SCRUB,puddle puppy x2,football x2,vest &tshirt,picnic hamper,mascara,pink wig,rimmel sunshimmer,
  • pigeonpair wrote: »
    What a shame some people are so small minded. I think this is a wonderful offer for all the innocent children that are without their mummy or daddy's at christmas this year! With all due respect those that are being made redundant will have packages from their redundancy and will also be eligible for help from the welfare. It is an awful situation to be in but us forces families that are losing our husbands and the children that are losing their Daddy's won't have the luxury of having a proper family christmas. Bear in mind that some of these children won't be having their parents come home at all. What an awful prospect. You mention about being in full time employment and all these other benefits that we get but are you actually aware of these so-called benefits because I really don't see them as anything to write home about for a start and they don't go anywhere near close to being without your partner or Daddy for 6 months a year in a very dangerous war zone. Does it really hurt to bring a smile to the children's faces through sponsorship when their parents are fighting for your country? There are enough adverts on telly for charities that people give to to support other countries so actually I think its nice that these children are getting noticed.
    I'd be interested to know what e-mail address the code is being sent to as I know my hubby hasn't had anything as of yet and goes next week. Is it the MoD that are sending the e-mails out?


    Hear hear!! Yes my hubby is away at the moment, and he hasnt had an email either, as far as I know the email has been sent out to the UWO's, well they seem to know about it anyway. I asked my hubby to ask the UWO out in afghanistan, who then told him to come on the martin lewis forum to get the promotional code???!!!! So I'm even more confused, as nobody seems to have the code or wants to give it out? so how am I supposed to guarantee my little boy a gift before the 5th dec (closing date for applications)
  • I think this is a brilliant idea, I grew up with a Father in the RAF and he spent many a christmas away from home. Its a nice thought that atleast some of the country remember there are kids out there who dont have a parent there on christmas morning, because they are protecting us. I do feel though they should not only remember the kids at BFPO addresses but also the kids of TA members etc whos parents are also away
    Saving for the future 1 penny at a time
  • I believe the HIVE s on stations maybe collecting names and sending just the one email etc. May be worth contacting them. Hope you all get it sorted. My hubby will be home from Afghan in 10 days and I too will be raising a glass to those who wont be coming home or stuck in theatre this xmas.
  • For those that are applying for the offer and are struggling to get the code then make sure you go to your HIVE on camp as they have it. But make sure you apply soon, as you only have until the 5th Decemeber to apply on the NOTW website!! Happy Christmas!
  • edited 7 December 2010 at 8:22AM
    GavstaGavsta Forumite
    1 Post
    edited 7 December 2010 at 8:22AM
    I have joined this forum just to reply to this thread
    I am currently serving in a Patrol Base in Helmand and this will be my second consecutive christmas away from home, not only is being away from your family bad enough, but often because of operational restrictions it isn't possible to phone home. I am currently away from my normal operating base for a day and have been able to access the internet for the first time in a month and collect my emails, and so to my point.

    I heard about this offer in November and asked our J1 (HR Cell) about it - not a single person knew anything about it and therefore I emailed the NOTW who did not even dignify me with a reply. Neither myself, the parent of a young son, nor any of my colleagues who have children received any such email either through their personal email addresses nor official accounts. Now whilst this offer may be able to be excepted by those that have the time to chase this up through official channels, the likes of myself and colleagues who are living in quite basic (but dont get me wrong, very adequate) patrol bases have neither the time or media access in order to do so.

    So in conclusion. This offer has been nothing more than PR by NOTW and its partners (Tesco I believe) and although those with good communications in rear echealon positions may be able to chase this and benefit from it, those at the very sharp end can't and aren't able to and I think the NOTW and co-sponsors of this farce should be very ashamed of themselves for making promises and press statements that simply aren't true - shame on you.,

    And lastly just to reply to one further point - many people in the past grew up with parents serving overseas, but even with the days of Northern Ireland, the likelyhood of coming home seriously wounded or not even coming home at all were nothing like they are nowadays. Added to this, the day to day, literally as-it-happens media coverage does nothing to quell the anguish of those at home and can replace the knowlege of their loved one being safely at home. And so to those who do say about the children of the unemployed etc, in my opinion, echo everything that is wrong with the ethos of this country. Whilst I sympathise with those that find themselves unemployed and then struggle to gain re-employment in their field or struggle to gain re-trading, I have no sympathy for those that bleat on about having nothing, becuase of the system and at the same time suck heavily on a B&H!
  • 13Kent13Kent Forumite
    1.2K Posts
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    Forumite
    I also e-mailed the NOTW to ask about whether families living at BFPO addresses can benefit from this offer, but apart from getting the standard "thank you for your e-mail we will get back to you" have not had a reply either.

    Keep safe, Gavsta, hope you are home with your family soon.
  • that's fine, thanks ;)
  • Hi guys
    Just wondering if Anyone knows if they doing this again this year? As my hubby is in afgan and it'll be nice to know and give me something to look forward to? Thanks
    :money:
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