News

15th Finchley Scout in Afghanistan

10/12/07
Eldest son of Scouter Peter McMahon, Lieutenant Daniel McMahon, is a member of a Regiment fighting in Afghanistan. Dan has been through the Group as a Beaver, Cub, Scout and Explorer and has been on camp with the Troop up to when he joined the Army so he is ‘one of us’. He is responsible for a platoon of 30 men and we became aware that where they are stationed they are on standard army rations, which tends to be bland so they are always desperate for ‘tasty’ food. We also found out that parcels can be sent out to the soldiers free of charge if they are under 2kg. The Patrol Leaders Council had a meeting and decided they would like to make up 30 shoe box sized parcels with such things as sweets, biscuits, spicy soups, pot noodles, novelty eats, etc and send them to Dan’s soldiers.

One of the PL’s Luke Silva prepared a letter, which went out to the Group, and he also did some research to see what we could fit into a box and how much it would cost. PL Laura Brennan had to find out how much wrapping paper was required and buy sufficient for our needs.

We hoped to receive around £200 to pack around 30 boxes for Dan’s platoon, but astonishingly the Group managed to raise £450 and the Scouts packed 53 boxes! Luke mum Ivana took Luke plus 2 other PL’s Chris Simmonds and Joseph Monaghan shopping at Tesco’s to spend the money. Ivana told me that although they had a list it was rather difficult to spend the money. Also a number of people came up to them while shopping to find out why the wanted all these strange items in the trolley’s. Needless to say they thought it a wonderful idea and at least 1 shopper gave them another £10. All the food was brought to the hall where the boxes, which had been donated, by Fiona Ferrigan and Nicky Fisher were packed, weighed and wrapped. Finally I took them with the help of Ben Bhella of the Cubs and Chris Simmonds to Lodge Lane sorting office so the parcels are now on their way to Afghanistan.


Robin Graby