Mum of Afghanistan squaddie blasts PO over birthday cake

[TrueBlueTerrier]

Mum of Afghanistan squaddie blasts post office over birthday cake gift

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/top-storie ... -21426357/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

A proud mum wanted to send a birthday cake to her soldier son in Afghanistan - but Post Office staff insisted she cut it in half.

Susan Evans decorated the cake with a 30th birthday icing message before sending it to son Corporal Anthony Cotty who is based in Helmand fighting the Taliban.

But Post staff ruled the cake was too heavy to go in one parcel. Susan, 54, said yesterday: "I can't believe the bureaucracy. It's ridiculous to have an iced cake arrive in two parts. They said I can send two pieces. How petty is that?"

Susan bought Anthony, of the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, his favourite £13 cake and iced it, saying: "30. To Ants, love you loads, Mum."

The divorcee added: "My son and his comrades are risking their lives while pen-pushing officials block morale-boosting gestures. I got a cake big enough so his mates could have some." Royal Mail said: "British Forces Post Office sets a strict 2kg weight limit for the free parcel service to British troops. We apologise but we cannot go outside this limit."

The Ministry of Defence added: "It's the most reasonable size to transport to war zones and bases using helicopters."

Susan yesterday finally cut it in two and sent one to Helmand and the other to Lashkar Gah, as he is moving there. She said: "He has three on one side and zero on the other - but at least he will get one half on his birthday."

[Lounge Lizard]

Well the stupid woman should have checked the weight limit before buying the cake.
And surely there's nothing stopping her posting it whole, it's just that she's too tight fisted to pay for postage over 2kg.

[andy2007]

If it was a normal parcel, then I'd agree with you. But when it's something like a Birthday, Christmas, Wedding Aniversary, etc., present. Don't you think that it would have been more caring, to make allowances?
These brave men and women, are risking their lives. Serving the British Government. Shouldn't we cut their Families a bit of slack?
After all: They said that she could send it for free, in two parts. So what diference would it have made, if they had allowed her to send it whole?
Would it have been lighter?
No: It would have stayed the same weight. So where's the harm?

[Lounge Lizard]

If it was a normal parcel, then I'd agree with you. But when it's something like a Birthday, Christmas, Wedding Aniversary, etc., present. Don't you think that it would have been more caring, to make allowances?
These brave men and women, are risking their lives. Serving the British Government. Shouldn't we cut their Families a bit of slack?
After all: They said that she could send it for free, in two parts. So what diference would it have made, if they had allowed her to send it whole?
Would it have been lighter?
No: It would have stayed the same weight. So where's the harm?

But do you really suggest that every clerk at every Post Office everytime they are handed a parcel should ask "is it a Birthday, Christmas or Wedding Anniversary?" and if so let it go cheap or free ? And if so how then would Royal Mail make up the missing revenue ?
Brave or not if you take the Queen's Shilling you know what you are letting yourself in for and that doesn't include free postage over 2kg.
And if the forces claim they are short staffed with limited resources would they really be able to cope with unlimited parcels of unlimited weight while busy dodging bullets ?
And, finally, who pays for the 'free' postage under 2kg - is Royal Mail refunded out of the MOD's £30,000,000,000 annual budget, or does Royal Mail subsidise it while struggling in an increasingly competative market ?

[Izzy]

Did Royal Mail not have to introduce some kind of limit? Some servicemen/woman were taking advantage of free postage and getting mates to send out almost wholesale amounts of 'items' which could be sold at profit to colleagues.

[baldrick]

Would TNT deliver it for free?

[andy2007]

If it was a normal parcel, then I'd agree with you. But when it's something like a Birthday, Christmas, Wedding Aniversary, etc., present. Don't you think that it would have been more caring, to make allowances?
These brave men and women, are risking their lives. Serving the British Government. Shouldn't we cut their Families a bit of slack?
After all: They said that she could send it for free, in two parts. So what diference would it have made, if they had allowed her to send it whole?
Would it have been lighter?
No: It would have stayed the same weight. So where's the harm?

But do you really suggest that every clerk at every Post Office everytime they are handed a parcel should ask "is it a Birthday, Christmas or Wedding Anniversary?" and if so let it go cheap or free ? And if so how then would Royal Mail make up the missing revenue ?
Brave or not if you take the Queen's Shilling you know what you are letting yourself in for and that doesn't include free postage over 2kg.
And if the forces claim they are short staffed with limited resources would they really be able to cope with unlimited parcels of unlimited weight while busy dodging bullets ?
And, finally, who pays for the 'free' postage under 2kg - is Royal Mail refunded out of the MOD's £30,000,000,000 annual budget, or does Royal Mail subsidise it while struggling in an increasingly competative market ?

No. My point is: If they'll allow her to send it as 2 seperate parcels for free. Then what's the point in making her cut it in half?
She must have told them what it was, for them to suggest cuting it in half. Or is it a routine suggestion, to suggest cutting parcels up?

[Lounge Lizard]

If it was a normal parcel, then I'd agree with you. But when it's something like a Birthday, Christmas, Wedding Aniversary, etc., present. Don't you think that it would have been more caring, to make allowances?
These brave men and women, are risking their lives. Serving the British Government. Shouldn't we cut their Families a bit of slack?
After all: They said that she could send it for free, in two parts. So what diference would it have made, if they had allowed her to send it whole?
Would it have been lighter?
No: It would have stayed the same weight. So where's the harm?

But do you really suggest that every clerk at every Post Office everytime they are handed a parcel should ask "is it a Birthday, Christmas or Wedding Anniversary?" and if so let it go cheap or free ? And if so how then would Royal Mail make up the missing revenue ?
Brave or not if you take the Queen's Shilling you know what you are letting yourself in for and that doesn't include free postage over 2kg.
And if the forces claim they are short staffed with limited resources would they really be able to cope with unlimited parcels of unlimited weight while busy dodging bullets ?
And, finally, who pays for the 'free' postage under 2kg - is Royal Mail refunded out of the MOD's £30,000,000,000 annual budget, or does Royal Mail subsidise it while struggling in an increasingly competative market ?

No. My point is: If they'll allow her to send it as 2 seperate parcels for free. Then what's the point in making her cut it in half?
She must have told them what it was, for them to suggest cuting it in half. Or is it a routine suggestion, to suggest cutting parcels up?

As Izzy says a weight limit had to be introduced as they were abusing the free postage, and if parcels are being halved like this there may well be limit soon to the number of them that can be sent to each serviceman.
Suggesting that the cake be cut in half as an alternative to the tight-fisted woman paying postage is no less helpful advice than suggesting that an A4 envelope be folded in half so that it can be posted at the basic inland rate.
Having relatives in the Army this woman must be aware of the countless desk-bound officers yet has the cheek to insult postal workers by dismissing them as "pen-pushing officials".

[kwf166]

If it was a normal parcel, then I'd agree with you. But when it's something like a Birthday, Christmas, Wedding Aniversary, etc., present. Don't you think that it would have been more caring, to make allowances?
These brave men and women, are risking their lives. Serving the British Government. Shouldn't we cut their Families a bit of slack?
After all: They said that she could send it for free, in two parts. So what diference would it have made, if they had allowed her to send it whole?
Would it have been lighter?
No: It would have stayed the same weight. So where's the harm?

I agree, surely we should make exceptions in cases like this, especially for our lads serving overing sea, I mean they risking their lives,surely they should be allowed things like this, whatever the size

[TrueBlueTerrier]

If it was a normal parcel, then I'd agree with you. But when it's something like a Birthday, Christmas, Wedding Aniversary, etc., present. Don't you think that it would have been more caring, to make allowances?
These brave men and women, are risking their lives. Serving the British Government. Shouldn't we cut their Families a bit of slack?
After all: They said that she could send it for free, in two parts. So what diference would it have made, if they had allowed her to send it whole?
Would it have been lighter?
No: It would have stayed the same weight. So where's the harm?

I agree, surely we should make exceptions in cases like this, especially for our lads serving overing sea, I mean they risking their lives,surely they should be allowed things like this, whatever the size

Actually as someone who has served in Bosnia at a Forward Operating Base I can see both sides of the argument. In "tight" situations you don't want to spend time emptying a helicopter of heavy or large mail as its rotors are running and normally it would be a Chinook so the down draft is very powerful. Its not quite the same as emptying a 600. For the family I can see their view as they want to get as much stuff as possible to them to improve their lot. Word of advice if you know anyone in "harms way" send stuff like Bog rolls, bagged sweets (not chocolate) wet wipes and loads of Photos. Cakes are ok but unless packed really well they rarely make the trip intact.