MEMBERS of the Tavistock branch of the Royal Marines? Association and the town?s Air Cadets will be out in force over the next few days collecting ?goodies? for the troops in Afghanistan. For the second year running, the RMA will be collecting items to send to the Marines in time for Christmas, at Tavistock and Yelverton supermarkets. RMA members and the air cadets will be collecting the goods, with permission and support from the supermarkets today (Thursday), Friday and Saturday. They will be handing out leaflets listing suitable items the troops require, including ?cuppa soups?, biscuits and baby wipes, and asking customers to place the donated items in the boxes provided. Once all the items have been collected, the RMA will box and and send them to the Royal Marines ? boxes will also go to the nurses and patients in the military hospital in Afghanistan. The Christmas Box Appeal was well received last year by the Royal Marines from 42 Commando in Bickleigh Barracks, and this year the RMA are repeating the appeal for 40 Commando in Taunton and the Royal Marine crews on the Viking Troop Carriers The RMA expressed thanks to Tavistock man John Cotts who is from DSS Smith at Launceston which has supplied all the boxes needed to send the items. If anyone from Tavistock or the surrounding villages know of any other servicemen or women who are out in Afghanistan and would like a parcel to be sent to them, contact Yorkie Malone, secretary of RMA, on 01822 614030.
