L to R - Lance Corporal Charlie Jury, Leading Aircraftsman Reece Fenton, Superintendent Mike McIlraith, Signaller Nick Pomee and Petty Officer Meleloto Tioeli with some of the packages.
20 September 2007
New Zealand Defence Force troops in Afghanistan received a boost last week after the hard work and generosity of volunteers, Manawatu and Wellington retailers and DHL Global Forwarding.
Welfare packages weighing a total of 395 kilograms were transported by DHL Global Forwarding to the 122 personnel in the New Zealand Provincial Reconstruction Team (NZPRT) in Bamyan Province last week. The Kiwis eagerly opened the boxes and happy faces were greeted with sweets, biscuits, drinks and even the odd harmonica.
The items were generously donated by Foodstuffs (Palmerston North), the Armed Forces Canteen Council (Linton), Charters Packaging (Wellington) and the transport fee of just under $7500 was waived by DHL Global Forwarding to get the packages to Afghanistan.
Liz Johnson of DHL Global Forwarding said that the company recognised the hard work that had been put in by the many volunteers and the 16th Field Regiment to put the packages together.
“As a gesture of goodwill and support for our soldiers overseas, DHL Global Forwarding sponsored the cost of the transport. We really wanted these people so far from home to be reminded that we are all thinking of them.”
Contingent commander Colonel Roger McElwain says that the soldiers, airmen and sailors on the tour were very appreciative of the gifts and the effort put into getting them to Bamyan.
“It is a great boost to morale knowing that the contingent has the support of many New Zealand businesses and the community. It means a lot to the Kiwi troops that New Zealanders are behind their efforts here in Afghanistan, providing both moral and physical support to the contingent.”
ENDS
Currently 771 New Zealand Defence Force personnel are deployed on 17 operations, UN missions and defence exercises around the world.
For further information please contact Nicole Munro-Johnson, Defence Public Relations, on 04 529 6033 or 021 569 148.