RAF Lyneham 'Give a kid a Christmas'
Royal Air Force Lyneham
www.raf.mod.uk/raflyneham
23rd October 2006
Upon hearing the sad story of children who will not be celebrating Christmas this year due to the unfortunate collapse of Farepak, a Christmas savings scheme, SAC Shelly Gray knew she had to do something to help. No sooner had she switched off the radio, she was putting collection boxes together to distribute around RAF Lyneham to collect toys for the families affected by Farepak’s closure.

Farepak is a Swindon-based Christmas savings scheme, which went into liquidation just 10 weeks before Christmas. The company enabled families to save up in instalments for shopping vouchers, gifts and hampers. All customers who have been saving hard throughout the year to pay for Christmas will lose the money they’ve saved.

This story really tugged on the heart of SAC Shelly Gray, 23, who works on the passenger desk of United Kingdom Mobile Air Movements Squadron (UKMAMS) at RAF Lyneham. She decided to set up collection points around the unit and appeal for people give one more child a reason to smile this Christmas, by putting an extra present in their trolly. Nearer to Christmas, the presents collected will be picked up by the Black Thunders from GWR and distributed around Wiltshire to those families who have lost out.

Wing Commander Jeff Green, Officer Commanding UKMAMS said, “This is a great amount of effort and dedication off SAC Gray’s own back. If in some small way we can help to rectify the problems caused by Farepak’s closure, this would bring joy to many children. I hope people will see SAC Gray’s initiative as a good cause and put an extra present in their basket during their Christmas shopping and put it into one of our donation boxes.”

Individuals can help by dropping off gifts in one of the three donation boxes placed in the HIVE and the Air Terminal on base and Lyneham Pre-School (the Rainbow's House, Teal Avenue, Lyneham). Together we can make a difference to so many families so please donate what ever you can no matter how small. It will make a difference to someone.