Shoeboxes for Troops. Red, White & Blue Day 2017 Competition for 9-year-olds and under. redwhiteblueday.co.uk

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1 Shoeboxes for Troops Red, White & Blue Day 2017 Competition for 9-year-olds and under redwhiteblueday.co.uk

2 Welcome to our Competition This year s Red, White & Blue Day is to be held on Friday 6th October Within this pack, you will find information and templates for our competition for 9-year-olds and under. Reminders of home We are asking pupils to imagine their mother or sister are serving in the Armed Forces. They are to create a list of items to fit in a shoebox-sized parcel that could be sent to them. We are encouraging pupils to consider what life must be like when away from home and what their mother or big sister might miss serving our country in far-off, hostile places. Think about including a personal note or other special reminders of home, photographs, drawings, a recent art project or perhaps a scrapbook filled with mementos. This pack contains: 3 Background Information 4 Outline of Competition and Prizes 5 List of Items to go in Parcel 6 Judges 7 Parcel List Example 8 Entry Form 9 Terms and Conditions Your donations will help support the work of the three national military charities 2

3 Background Information Although joining up and serving your country today is a matter of choice for women it is not easy and no one expects it to be. It is because of the challenges that accompany Service that the pride instilled within is so hard won and held in such high regard. Women join the military for the same reasons as men, career development and the chance to travel. You don t have to give up your femininity when you join and the Armed Forces are not just for men! No two days are the same, one minute you could be working in an office, the next on exercise and operations. From July 2016 more roles have opened for women and they are expected to meet the same fitness levels as men. Nowadays too women are expected to go on operations. The Armed Forces also support men and women who want to marry or have a family and as a result would move into a family quarter. In addition, men and women are on the same pay scale and are paid according to their rank. The Armed Services promotes people based on their performance, capability and potential. Two stories from women who served in Afghanistan Away in the winter I did a winter tour in Afghanistan and it was very cold in December, down to minus 17. I was in a Forward Operating Base, South of Camp Bastion and we had the basics in camp and did have wash facilities and loos, but I lived in a ten-man tent with no heating and facilities were basic. We used to get post dropped in by helicopter and it was always very exciting to see who would get the best care parcels. They consisted of all sorts, including baby wipes (great for cleaning, among other things, mess tins!), hair brushes, crosswords and sweets and crisps. My parents and friends would send me letters and pictures their children had drawn and they made me a scrap book and a countdown calendar. On one occasion, they also sent me a stick perfume as we were not allowed aerosols. Chocolate was a disaster for much of the tour because it always melted despite the low temperature at base camp. I was also sent clothes pegs which meant I could pin up photos to the tent wall. You can t have too many clean socks! My hubby and kids sent me a weekly shoebox during my six month Afghan tour. They always wrapped stuff in new socks, so I always had plenty. Every week I had a picture and some blu tack to put it on my wall. I was deployed with the Dutch, who were sent sweets every week. I could write a book about those six months! 3

4 Outline of Competition and Prizes Enter our competition Imagine your mother or sister are serving in the Armed Forces. Write a list of items you would put in a parcel to send to them. Include a drawing next to each item and describe why you have chosen them. Make sure the items would fit in a shoebox-sized parcel and not be heavier than the restricted 2kg guideline. What would you miss the most? Receiving a parcel from home can be a real morale booster for a deployed Service Member. Choosing and packing the contents will also help you feel closer to your loved one. Although the recipient will undoubtedly appreciate anything you send, some things are particularly useful so try and think about what they might want and make sure that there are no restrictions on your choice of items. Why put them in a shoebox? Shoebox-sized items are ideal for sending. These can vary in dimensions but the maximum size for your parcel is: Length: 45mm Width: 35cm Depth: 16cm Max weight: 2kg 16cm Where would it be kept? Today, there is no difference between a serving man or woman. They are given the same equipment. For a six month deployment they will generally have a Bergen (a type of rucksack supported by a frame and used by the military when on operations) as well as a half-share of a standard cardboard MFO box. 45cm 35cm Prizes 1st Prize Book token to the value of nd Prize Book token to the value of Best dressed shoebox competition for schools In addition, we are inviting schools to submit a picture (please ensure this is a high resolution one) of their own decorated box. The box can be decorated in any way but should have a red,white and blue theme. You should only submit one picture per school. Please send your entry to: pwallis@soldierscharity.org no later than 5th December There will be a special prize for the best shoebox chosen by our Head Judge. 4

5 List of Items to go in Parcel Name:... Age:... School:... Use the space below for writing your list and include your own drawings

6 Judges Heather Stanning, MBE After winning gold at all three World Cup Regattas in 2012, Heather and her partner Helen Glover made history, on an unforgettable morning at Eton Dorney, when they won Team GB s first gold of London They became the first British female rowers to win an Olympic title and the first to successfully defend their crown four years later in Rio 2016 writing their names into the history books. They were unbeaten from 2012 to 2016 and have won every title and broken every record in their event along the way. Heather and Helen were awarded MBEs in the 2013 New Year s Honours list. Heather is a serving Major with the Royal Artillery and undertook a tour of duty in Helmand Province, Afghanistan in Summer She retired from rowing in November 2016 Elaine West Air Vice-Marshal Margaret Elaine West, CBE is the most senior female officer in the British Armed Forces, the first to hold a non-honorary air vice marshal or equivalent rank since the Second World War, and the first to achieve that rank in the regular forces. She joined the Women s Royal Air Force as an aircraftwoman and rose through the ranks to be promoted to Air Vice-Marshal on 1 August 2013 and the first regular to hold a two-star rank. Henri Stewart Henri joined the Army Reserve in 2010 as a Combat Medical Technician attached to Princess of Wales s Royal Regiment and deployed for six months on Op Herrick in 2012, where she worked out of a small Forward Operating Base (FOB) in Southern Helmand. Whilst deployed, Henri received many thoughtful shoe boxes from family, friends and kind hearted strangers who wanted to support their troops, so she made time to reply to every person who wrote. On her return, in 2013, she joined ABF The Soldiers Charity as Executive Assistant for the Chief Executive and Chief of Staff. Henri is still in the Army Reserve as an instructor with the University Officer Training Corps where she teaches military skills to Officer Cadets. WO1 Annette Penfold MBE RNR Annette joined the Women s Royal Naval Service in 1978 as a Training Support Assistant at HMS Dauntless. Her first draft was at the Royal Navy Apprentices School in Torpoint working in graphics. Passing her Leading Hands exam early meant she was just in time for the Falklands conflict, following which she was promoted to Petty Officer. Her last job, in the WRNS in 1989, was as the Quality Control Officer at HMS Raleigh where she was responsible for rewriting the New Entry Final exams and the General Naval Knowledge Handbook. After joining the Royal Naval Reserve she moved to Naples with her husband and two young children and, in 1993, was involved with the Bosnian crisis employed in COMSUBMED as a plotter. In 2004, having joined HMS Bristol as the Whole Ship co-ordinator, she was awarded a 2SL Commendation. In 2012 she was awarded an MBE in the New Year Honours. In 2016 she returned to CMR HQ as the RNR Establishment WO1. The judges are looking for a creative and imaginative entry. Extra points will be awarded for good spelling, your use of vocabulary, emotive language and presentation. Judges will also be checking to see how well you read and understood the competition guidelines. 6

7 Parcel List Example To Mummy Item 1: Drawing I am sending you my latest drawing that I did today in our art class. It is of our dog Benji, he is missing you too. Item 2: Wet wipes I am also sending you the wet wipes as you say these are very useful and not just for wiping the chocolate off my face. Item 3: Perfume Johnny said his friend sent their mum some perfume and so I have included this as well, I hope you like it. We all miss you; I say my prayers every evening and hope you will soon be home with us. Your loving daughter Poppy xx 7

8 Entry Form School/Club Name: Contact Name: Address: All entries must be received by 11:59pm on Friday 24th November 2017 and should include a completed entry form. Entries should be sent to: Patty Wallis, Project Manager Red, White & Blue Day Competition 35 Warham Road Otford Sevenoaks TN14 5PF 8

9 Terms and Conditions 1. The competition is open to children up to the age of 9. Teachers are encouraged to explain to pupils about the competition and what the judges will be looking for from the children. We are not expecting to receive shoeboxes only their suggestions of what they would send, along with relevant drawings. 2. Entries must be from schools or clubs registered to take part in Red, White & Blue Day and should be submitted using the Entry Form provided. Entries will be judged against the guidelines outlined under Prizes and Judges. 3. To be eligible entries must be received by 11:59pm on 24th November Entry implies acceptance of all the rules and failure to comply may result in disqualification. 4. Entries must be exclusively from individuals and handwritten; no pairs or group submissions will be accepted. The work must be authentic and free from adult input. 5. The copyright will be owned by the pupil. However, each entrant grants a worldwide, irrevocable perpetual licence to the organisers to feature any of the submitted material in any of their publications, websites or promotional material or exhibitions connected to this Competition. Should the entries be published all profits realised will be divided between ABF The Soldiers Charity, the Royal Navy and Royal Marines Charity and the Royal Air Force Benevolent Fund. 6. The organisers reserve the right to alter, cancel, postpone or bring forward the Competition deadline if required. 7. A panel of judges will pick a winner and a runner up who will have their entry published on our website. 8. The winners will be notified no later than 15th January The organisers reserve the right to change the Competition Judges should the need arise. 10. The organisers take no responsibility for entries that are lost, delayed or misdirected or incomplete or cannot be delivered or entered for any technical or other reason. Proof of delivery of the entry is not proof of receipt. 11. The person responsible for organizing this activity is asked to send their best entries to the following address: Red, White & Blue Day Competition c/o Patty Wallis 35 Warham Road Otford Sevenoaks TN14 5PF NB: Only one Entry Form is necessary from each school or club. 12. The decision of the judges is final and no communication will be entered into. 13. Information regarding the entries will not be used for any other purpose than the Competition and will not be held any longer than necessary. 14. The Competition will be governed by English law although entries from overseas will be accepted. 9