Rayleigh and Wickford MP, Mark Francois, showed his support for a special military charity, Scotty’s Little Soldiers, when he visited their stall during an event held at the Traveller’s Joy pub last Saturday, June 30th, to mark Armed Forces Day 2012.
The charity was established to provide relief from the effects of bereavement to anyone up to and including the age of 18 years who had suffered the loss of a parent, killed whilst serving with the Armed Forces of the Crown.
The charity provides treats, outings, trips and activities for families of the fallen with the aim of offering a respite - however brief, from the daily ups and downs of coping without a loved one.
The charity was founded by army widow Nikki Scott, whose husband Corporal Lee Scott (known by his army friends as ‘Scotty’) was killed whilst on active service in Afghanistan. Members of Nikki’s family helped to man the stall at the Traveller’s Joy and Mark, who served as an infantry officer in the Territorial Army during the Cold War, made a point of visiting the stall in order to demonstrate his support for the cause.
The day included bungee jumping from a crane in the pub car park and also attendance by local units of the Army Cadet Force and the Air Cadets, as well as a fire engine manned by Firefighters from Rayleigh Weir Fire Station.
Commenting on the day and his support for the charity Mark Francois said:
“Our Armed Forces do a brilliant job in protecting us from harm and Armed Forces Day gives us an opportunity to celebrate what they do for us. The event at the Traveller’s Joy, which was organised by Daniel Rodgers, also provided an important showcase for Scotty’s Little Soldiers, who are a wonderful charity. I was very pleased to be able to meet some of the volunteers manning the stall and to talk to them about what the charity is trying to achieve. If anyone would like to assist the Scotty’s Little Soldiers team, they are encouraged to telephone 01553 763000 or to visit their website www.facebook.com/scottyslittlesoldiers“