AFGHANISTAN APPEAL BROUGHT HOME

Our Afghanistan appeal is going great guns at the moment and we hope that it will continue to do so over the coming weeks and months. A way to bring home to you that this is not just a war that is happening miles away and does not effect us here in Sheringham, is to mention a local lad who has recently joined The Royal Anglian Regiment and is soon heading off over there for a tour of duty.  He is not the first from our town.

Dan Greenland who was just 18 in June, took his Oath of Allegiance in January and then went off to Catterick on 11 February 2007 to begin his training. The training involved foot drill, first aid, shooting, map reading, NBC, many exercises and the last exercise included live firing. Days began at 5.30am and finished at 10.30pm, which initially took a lot of getting used to, but a few weeks in, it became the norm. Being tired is all part of the training, as during conflict, the enemy does not work a nine to five day. Our servicemen have to be prepared for long days and nights and a high level of physical and mental fitness has to be maintained at all times, on or off duty. Dan was also taught how to keep himself and his kit to a very high standard, again important to maintain the level of self-discipline that our service personnel need. Dan finished his training and passed out on Friday 10 August, having successfully completed 24 very gruelling weeks of training. In that short period of time he has transformed from a boy to a man, a fully trained, hard hitting infantry soldier who is likely to already be on the front line in Afghanistan by the time we go to print.

Having a family member in the services is lifechanging for everyone. Dan is part of a very close family and has grown up in the town having attended both the Primary and High Schools, his brother Ryan is only 13 and has already had to learn to cope with his older brother being away from home. Now he has to learn to cope with him being in a war zone that is constantly on the TV and in the papers. He is very proud of his big brother and is really going to miss him, he cannot wait to have him home again.

His girlfriend of two years, Vikki has supported Dan through his training and knows that although the next few months will be difficult, she will be there for him.

His parents, Martin and Sue are totally behind Dan's decision to join the forces, they give him their full support and are so proud that he is doing something so worthwhile. They are trying to be upbeat all the time, but any parent will tell you that it is not always easy.

It is for the men and women like Dan that we always ask you to remember the Service People and not the conflict. They are OUR services and deserve our support in what are for them and their families' very difficult circumstances. Please keep the donations and cards coming, they are being gratefully received.