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WOUNDED soldiers will get an extra special gift this Christmas, thanks to the efforts of an Oakham postwoman.
Wendy Walker, who is based at Oakham delivery office in Market Place, is backing the Help for Heroes Christmas stocking appeal.
The appeal aims to collect boxes of special items for soldiers, who will be spending Christmas day in hospital or at Headley Court rehabilitation centre.
Wendy, of High Street, Oakham, is worried the cost of posting a heavy box will put people off contributing to the appeal.
So with the help of the charity’s county co-ordinator Carol Roome, Wendy has set up two collection boxes for people to drop off their gifts and will drive everything that’s donated more than 130 miles to the charity’s head office in Tidworth in Wiltshire.
Wendy, 33, said: “I just think it’s important to let the soldiers know that we are thinking about them at Christmas and the Help for Heroes appeal is a great way of doing this.
“I hope that by collecting them and then driving them to Help for Heroes head office we will be able to get more items for the soldiers.
“They are heroes at the end of the day and I hope people will get behind me and support them.”
Wendy, who delivers post to RAF Cottesmore, is no stranger to supporting charities, having raised funds in the past to help Guide Dogs for the Blind, the Anthony Nolan Trust and the Derbyshire, Leicestershire and Rutland Air Ambulance.
But this is the first time she has supported Help for Heroes.
County co-ordinator Carol said: “Wendy approached me and I think what she is doing is absolutely amazing. I very much hope people will support Wendy in the same way as she is supporting Help for Heroes.”
Carol said ideally people should get together with colleagues or friends to complete one box from the list below, but that if people wanted to donate individual items they would be added to boxes.
National companies are also donating products, including magazines from GQ and mince pies and cakes from Premier Foods.
People are being urged to put together a complete boxed stocking for either a male or female soldier and then take it to one of Wendy’s collection points – Martin’s newsagents in High Street, Oakham or the post office in the Market Place, Oakham.
Boxes can be dropped off there until Tuesday, November 22.
Wendy plans to drive the items to Tidworth on Thursday, November 24, on her day off.
Anyone who would like to donate money instead can visit wwww.bmycharity.com/ChristmasStockingsforHeroes.