PEOPLE are being urged to back a new campaign to send treats to troops serving on the front line in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The Echo-backed shoebox campaign successfully sent 390 boxes crammed full of gifts for Dorset soldiers serving in war torn zones.

Over the last few months soldiers described how the boxes ‘lifted morale’ and ‘changed the mood of the camp’ each time a delivery came in.

Both the 6 Rifles and 1 Rifles regiments, which include many Dorset-based soldiers, are serving in Afghanistan.

The 6 Rifles regiment has its headquarters in Exeter, Devon, with a Territorial Army base in Dorchester.

They carry out a number of tasks in the surrounding areas of Camp Bastion, including providing helicopter protection for the Medical Emergency Response Team (MERT) who fly out to injured soldiers.

In the next few months 1 Rifles Regiment will be returning home and replaced by 2 Rifles who paraded through Dorchester last year in the Freedom march.

Now Dorchester councillor Molly Rennie is renewing her appeal for people in the community to donate boxes full of gifts and useful items for soldiers.

She said: “The amount of stuff we had in before Christmas was marvellous but the 2 Rifles are going out there and the majority of them are serving on the front line so they won’t have the opportunity for home comforts.

“Community support is so important and the 1 Rifles who have returned are talking about how important this is for the morale of the troops. When they are away it makes things better to know that as well as their family other people are thinking of them.”

Councillor Rennie ran the campaign along with her husband John, with support from Dorchester Town Council.

Their son Alexander, 35, has served abroad with the Rifles regiment in countries including Iraq.

One serving soldier, Steve White, based in Afghanistan, sent a letter home and said that he received his box and distributed the goodies amongst his men and their Afghan counterparts.

He said: “The gesture was hugely appreciated and really helped make a rather testing time seem more like home – especially for those lads who are away from their families for the first time.

“It is totally overwhelming and also humbling that there is so much thought and appreciation for what we do back home and it really does make a difference to our morale and state of minds.”

He added that the knowledge that the soldiers are so well supported helps them carry out their role to work alongside the Afghans to achieve their goal of handing the country back to the people.

Another soldier described how proud he was that the local community are in high sprits and that it was ‘an important part of the war effort’.

The boxes can be made up of anything you choose and in the past soldiers have requested items such as sweets, underpants, biscuits or books.

Coun Rennie said soldiers particularly enjoy receiving letters from the public and this has often been something the soldiers look forward to. Boxes can be donated to Dorchester Town Council in North Square, Dorchester or the Keep Military Museum, Bridport Road, Dorchester.

You can also take them to any Dorset Echo office and we will forward them to Coun Rennie.

The offices are on the Granby Estate, Weymouth, Antelope Walk, Dorchester and East Street, Bridport.

Do you know someone from Dorset serving in Afghanistan or Iraq who has received a shoebox? If so contact newsdesk on 01305 830999.

What soldiers have asked for:

Biscuits

Wet wipes

Fruity chewy sweets

Used or new books

Puzzle and crossword books

Make-up products

Chewing gum and mints

Letters

Lip salve

Underwear

Moisturising lotion

WHAT NOT TO PUT IN

Chocolate

Aerosols

Alcohol

Perfumed soap

Anything that will melt

Heavy items

Batteries

DO YOU HAVE ANY OLD BOOKS? The aim is to put a book in every shoebox so if you have any old paperbacks lying around please hand them in to the designated shoebox collection points.