Deidre’s service helps readers support Our Boys

MY Forces penpal service has helped cheer up our lads for years – especially those serving overseas.

One I especially remember wrote, "I was on your Forces Penpal List when I was deployed out to Iraq. The response was mega and really boosted my morale.

"So much so in fact that almost the whole of my regiment wrote to you asking to be listed and they were thrilled too with the amount of letters they received.

"It's hard to describe what these letters mean from back home. Sometimes we're living in awful conditions and facing all sorts of dangers, and the mail takes your mind off the job for a short while."

I regularly hear from girls who would like to write to a soldier, sailor or airman, and from happy couples who met through my Forces Penpals service.

One wrote, “I'm in the RAF and my now fiancee first wrote to me through your penpal service while I was on tour in the Falkland Islands. We soon met up on my return and started dating. I asked her to marry me on Valentine’s Day. We would like to say a big thank you and would recommend your Forces penpal service to anyone."

Anyone in the Forces who would like to be added to the list, or anyone who would like to become a penpal to someone in the Services overseas, just email me and put Forces Penpal in the subject line.