Care packages for troops at Selly Oak Hospital

Following on from the Voluntary Groups unit for their Citizenship course, Year 8 pupils chose to do something for our wounded troops for Christmas.

It was decided, following liaison with Major Ian Cheesman at the Royal Centre for Defence Medicine at Selly Oak Hospital in Birmingham, that Year 8 would create ‘care packages’ for troops who had been flown home because of their injuries.

Pupils worked in groups to produce their packages,  researching why there was a need to create them, and what should be included. In mid- December, Mrs Hudson, teacher of Citizenship, took more than 50 of these care packages to the RCDM unit.

Because of the nature of some of the injuries and the fact it is a closed ward, it was not possible to take pupils with her. She spoke with some of the staff involved in caring for the wounded and discovered how much things like this mean to both staff, the troops and their families.

Because the unit receives many such gifts at Christmas, Mrs Hudson has agreed with Major Cheesman to continue the activity, but for the future to target a time other than Christmas.