Outrage over plans to axe free postal service

[TrueBlueTerrier]

http://www.goolecourier.co.uk/news/Outr ... 6019171.jp" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

LANS by the Ministry of Defence to axe a free postal service for friends and family sending letters and parcels to service personnel abroad has outraged a Goole mother.
Diana Ludlow is so incensed by the proposal, which is set to come into force later this year with an estimated saving of £1.7m to the Ministry of Defence (MOD), that she is urging Courier readers to sign a petition against it.

Although the MOD state the ending of the British Forces Postal Service (BFPO) only covers letters and parcels under 2kg going to 11 Forces Post Offices in Belgium, Denmark, Italy, Netherlands, Norway and Portugal, as well as one in the USA, Mrs Ludlow (70) is worried it will mean that mail to postings elsewhere in the world, including Afghanistan will also be affected, if not now, in the future.

"What they don't tell you is that all mail sent via the BFPO initially gets sent to the home posting, in Europe, where it gets sorted and then posted on to the detached postings elsewhere in the world," said Mrs Ludlow.

Her son, Paul, served in Iraq in 2004 and has since worked as a driver for an American company, working on US bases in various places, including Afghanistan.

"The Forces out there face horrendous conditions. They all believe they are helping people in those countries to help themselves and they need supporting in what they do," said Mrs Ludlow, of Chiltern Road.

"There are a lot of people in Goole who have Forces relatives serving out in Afghanistan and other parts of the world, as well as many friends and wellwishers and, while it may cost the MOD to provide the service, it is a basic humanitarian thing and they should be seen to be supporting people."

The petition to the Prime Minister has been set up by the wife of a serving commissioned officer and currently has more than 75,000 signatories. The website address for those who wish to add their names to it, is: http://petitions.number-10.gov.uk/SaveBFPO/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

A spokesperson for the MOD said: "The MOD continuously looks for ways to make best use of military manpower and to achieve savings where practicable.

"In June 2009 we took the decision to rationalise the postal provision supporting UK military personnel in 11 NATO HQs in Europe and one in the USA.These changes are scheduled to be completed by September 2010. The Enduring Free Mail Service out to operational theatres will not be affected"

[steven100]

Even although i think its a outrage cutting the service, i bet these people will be first to complain if we go on strike and can't send a parcel/letter. 2 year ago we warned the public of the planned changes, its happening and its only now they complain, well to me, its far too late.