A MILITARY wife who started sending parcels of treats to Armed Forces personnel at the front line at Christmas has been awarded a BEM.

Charlotte Park, 48, from Catterick Garrison, founded Treats for Troops on Tour when sending a Christmas parcel to her husband in Afghanistan.

She realised just how many of the armed forces go without a present to open on Christmas Day. She set an ambitious target of 50 boxes, calling upon the help of family and friends but in the first nine months she had posted 1,400 parcels to soldiers in Afghanistan, Iraq and Somalia.

Three years and over 8,000 boxes later she has received national recognition for her fundraising activities with a Points of Light award, which recognises outstanding volunteers who are making real change in their community. The boxes provide items of welfare for soldiers such as snacks, toiletries, small items of clothing and gifts.

Due to her efforts The Royal Highland Fusiliers and The Black Watch 3rd Battalion, for example, were supplied in force with haggis and lrn-Bru for their Burns supper, much to delight of themselves and coalition partners.

When Easter arrived they received a bombardment of Easter eggs and chocolate treats which were shared out amongst the military as well as blank Easter cards that they could send back to their families.