The charity Little Troopers embarked on a mission to bring Christmas joy to military children in central London whose parents are currently serving overseas on military operations and exercises.
This festive endeavour is part of the charity’s annual Christmas Smiles campaign, which seeks to alleviate the challenges faced by thousands of children across the UK who will be without their parents during the holiday season.
These youngsters will be missing out on traditional festivities like school nativities, carol services, family gatherings, and the magical moments of Christmas morning.
To bridge this gap, Little Troopers has meticulously curated Christmas boxes filled with goodies and surprises, designed to bring a smile to the faces of these resilient young ones.
The charity has collaborated closely with 101 Engineer Regiment and RAF Northolt to ensure the boxes reach the families most in need.
Pauline Thomson, HIVE Information Officer at RAF Northolt said: “RAF Northolt was so pleased to be able to send out Little Troopers boxes to the families of their deployed personnel.”
Louise Fetigan, the founder of Little Troopers, said: “Christmas Smiles is a campaign we’ve been running for years to support children who have a parent deployed over Christmas.
“It’s a really hard time of year to be separated from a parent, and our aim is to make these children feel special and supported.”
The Christmas Smiles boxes, made possible through generous funding from the Veterans’ Foundation, Pinnacle Service Families, RUK Advanced Systems, and Day One People, are being distributed with the support of JDT Utilities, who played a crucial role in transporting the festive packages.
David Shaw, CEO of the Veterans’ Foundation said: “We are delighted to support this fabulous initiative which will bring smiles and happiness to military children this Christmas.”
In addition to the Christmas boxes, Little Troopers has organised a range of activities as part of its Christmas Smiles campaign, including free cinema screenings, an online party, and a Christmas baking event.
For more information and to get involved, visit www.littletroopers.net.
Featured image credit: Little Troopers
