Feltham gift boxes for heroes

Kindly Feltham air cadets have put together dozens of gift-filled shoe boxes for soldiers serving in Afghanistan.

The youngsters from Feltham-based 94 Squadron Air Cadets unit have organised to send 150 shoe boxes to the troops, containing gifts and luxuries that would be difficult to come by where they are based.

The collection was so successful that extra boxes were made up to send to veterans at the Royal Star and Garter home in Richmond.

Commanding officer Flight Lieutenant Liam Meehan said: "The response really has been overwhelming, at one point it was virtually impossible to get into my office due to all of the donations we had received being stored there."

The donations for the boxes came from cadets, staff and parents of the unit, the staff of the Defence Geographic Centre Feltham, The Royal Air Force Association, in Twickenham, and many other local organisations.

Cadet Warrant Officer Adam Pollington, of 94 Squadron, said: "I think it is a fantastic achievement for the cadets, I couldn't believe how much was being donated."

The squadron is now preparing to make this an annual part of its Christmas programme in the hope that it lets soldiers on duty at this time of year know there are people thinking of them back home.