Brew-up for Shropshire soldiers all in a good cause
Soldiers based at barracks in Shropshire sat down to have a brew – all in support of comrades in the military and their families.
Troops belonging to the 1st Battalion The Royal Irish Regiment were served tea and cakes as part of a national initiative for SSAFA – the national forces' charity.
The event at Tern Hill Barracks, near Market Drayton,was held as part of Big Brew Week. Funds raised will go towards the charity's work, which includes supporting families when soldiers are away on duty and offering advice and counselling to bereaved families.
The Big Brew event was hosted and organised by Helen Thompson, from Modern Housing Solutions (MHS), which manages the married serviceman's accommodation at the military base.
She said: "We support the military with their accommodation across Wales and the West Midlands and very much wanted to support this cause.
"As we have such a great working relationship with the Royal Irish here at Tern Hill we thought this would be a good central location to hold our Big Brew Up event, we are hoping to raise at least £1,000 by selling tea, coffee and cakes as well as holding a large raffle across our area."
Craig Harper, from Telford-based company Jones and Hampton, which has the maintenance contract at Tern Hill, said: "We are more than happy to get involved with this worthwhile cause, in the past we have prided ourselves by supplying free labour when it comes to fitting items such as wheelchair ramps.
"SSAFA's motto is Lifelong support for our force's and their families. And the charity has supported the military community since 1885."
Charity bosses say at present a group of dedicated SSAFA volunteer caseworkers are doing just that across Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin, where a large number of serving and ex-serving forces personnel receive help for a variety of reasons.
