Brady Primary School children and soldiers with their awards

Soldiers visit a Rainham school to thank them for food and essentials

Paul Joyce, Reporter Tuesday, March 19, 2013
5:51 PM

Soldiers visited a school to thank them for sending food and essentials to troops based in Afghanistan.

The children from Brady Primary School had filled boxes with toiletries, biscuits and small games for Operation Shoebox for men and women just before Remembrance Day.

And on Monday the soldiers awarded some pupils with certificates to thank them for their efforts.

Brady primary school usually sends shoeboxes to children in other countries, but this year, teacher Jacqueline Robinson said she wanted to do something more local and personal

She said: “Children often see soldiers as characters in video games or movies and don’t really relate to them on a personal level. This event, Operation Shoebox, allowed the kids to see soldiers as fathers and brothers and find out more about what these men and women do for their country.”

The children were awarded certificates- one per class- as recognition for their efforts. Some pupils made their own package while others worked together, and even the staff got involved too, taking time out of their lunch breaks to buy gifts such as nail varnish and health products.

Sweets were a favourite gift among the pupils, packed alongside toothpaste, soap, plasters, hair bands, puzzles and other personal belongings that the children wished to send to troops.

Jacqueline said: “Soldiers usually eat meals out of vacuum-packed bags and are used to mush, and so they responded about how nice it was to eat biscuits from packets.”

She added about the certificates: “It’s good for the children to get feedback from soldiers and nice for them to see them.”