I went to a quiz last night. I am a bit of a fan of quizzes being very competitive and strangely full of useless information. Sometimes it takes a little while for other team members to realise this as being small blonde and a big fan of lip gloss some people seem to think, initially that I am nice, but thick. Wrong.
Anyway, last night the quiz was to raise money for Help for Heroes and my team despite valiant efforts, were rubbish. I include myself in that description. Having blown my trumpet I realise that I am now revealing that despite flashes of brilliance I also exhibit quite large flashes of ... stupidity. I am not afraid to admit to weaknesses. For example I am quite weak when it comes to crisps ...
Anyway, I digress, as the lovely Ronnie Corbett would say. What I really want to talk about is Help the Heroes
because I felt really rather moved by last night. The hall was packed with people raising money for them and as I looked around I was touched at the number of ordinary people who had crammed into the hall in support of the charity, but really in support of the men and women out in Afghanistan.
At the end of the evening a young man stood up to ask us to buy some of his wrist bands. He joked about only being allowed to wear one type of wrist band by his sergeant major and he hoped that we would buy his bands. Then he mentioned, almost as an afterthought that his regiment the Royal Anglians were being deployed to Afghanistan in the near future.
I went over to him to buy 2 of the bands, one for each of my boys, and as I gave him my money I wished him good luck. For a split second as our eyes met the bravado disappeared and he quietly said 'Thank you.'
I wanted to say more, but I couldn't. Firstly because it wouldn't have been right and secondly because if I had opened my mouth to say more I would have blubbed. Meeting a young man and putting a real live face to someone who was actually going to be heading off to the war stopped me in my tracks. Personally I don't think we should be out there, but I totally support the men and women who are out there doing their jobs in very difficult circumstances. As long as they are out there I will do what I can to support them. The reality of what that young man was about to face, what he may well have already faced on a previous tour, was momentarily written in his eyes and it moved me immeasurably.
As that young man continued to sell his wrist bands I hoped very much that he would never need the services of Help the Heroes. Unfortunately in the past I have heard the Royal Anglians being mentioned time and again when the radio announces another young soldier has been injured or killed by an I.E.D or shooting. I hope they all come home safe.
Anyway, last night the quiz was to raise money for Help for Heroes and my team despite valiant efforts, were rubbish. I include myself in that description. Having blown my trumpet I realise that I am now revealing that despite flashes of brilliance I also exhibit quite large flashes of ... stupidity. I am not afraid to admit to weaknesses. For example I am quite weak when it comes to crisps ...
Anyway, I digress, as the lovely Ronnie Corbett would say. What I really want to talk about is Help the Heroes
because I felt really rather moved by last night. The hall was packed with people raising money for them and as I looked around I was touched at the number of ordinary people who had crammed into the hall in support of the charity, but really in support of the men and women out in Afghanistan.
At the end of the evening a young man stood up to ask us to buy some of his wrist bands. He joked about only being allowed to wear one type of wrist band by his sergeant major and he hoped that we would buy his bands. Then he mentioned, almost as an afterthought that his regiment the Royal Anglians were being deployed to Afghanistan in the near future.
I went over to him to buy 2 of the bands, one for each of my boys, and as I gave him my money I wished him good luck. For a split second as our eyes met the bravado disappeared and he quietly said 'Thank you.'
I wanted to say more, but I couldn't. Firstly because it wouldn't have been right and secondly because if I had opened my mouth to say more I would have blubbed. Meeting a young man and putting a real live face to someone who was actually going to be heading off to the war stopped me in my tracks. Personally I don't think we should be out there, but I totally support the men and women who are out there doing their jobs in very difficult circumstances. As long as they are out there I will do what I can to support them. The reality of what that young man was about to face, what he may well have already faced on a previous tour, was momentarily written in his eyes and it moved me immeasurably.
As that young man continued to sell his wrist bands I hoped very much that he would never need the services of Help the Heroes. Unfortunately in the past I have heard the Royal Anglians being mentioned time and again when the radio announces another young soldier has been injured or killed by an I.E.D or shooting. I hope they all come home safe.
1 comment:
A worthy cause indeed. I wish all the soldiers could come home.
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