A RETIRED Thornbury army major has praised the generosity of people in South Gloucestershire in helping the forces charity Troop Aid.

Geoff Watkins said their big-hearted support had helped the organisation win the coveted Queen's Award for Voluntary Service.

During the past seven years, people in Thornbury and surrounding areas have raised around £10,000 for the charity, which sends its Grab Bags of personal kit to servicemen and women injured on active service or in training.

Geoff, 76, of Bristol Road, started his own career at the Army Apprentice School in Chepstow before spending 33 years with the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (REME).

He served in Germany, Malaya, Aden, Saudi Arabia, Singapore and the UK, as well as overseeing the repairing of damaged vehicles and other army kit on the Falkland Islands for six months just after the Falklands War.

While in Germany, Geoff and his wife, Pamela, met Captain Al Sutton and his wife, Pam, who were later to develop Troop Aid.

Some years after retiring, Geoff received a call to arms from the couple when the charity was in its fledgling state and he agreed to help.

Al and two other ex-servicemen had launched the organisation after discovering that injured troops were returning to the UK from war zones without personal effects or clothing because of the urgent need to repatriate them.

Boosted by charity donations from all over the UK, including the proceeds of the 2013 Thornbury Carnival, Troop Aid has now sent thousands of Grab Bags of personal kit to UK bases around the world.

Geoff has also spent much of his time talking to community organisations, clubs and other groups around South Gloucestershire about Troop Aid’s work.

He said: “Our Grab Bags contain items including T-shirts, shorts, underwear, washing and shaving kit, face flannel, toothbrush and paste, socks, pen and paper. There are also bags for women personnel.

"Receiving the Queen's Award for Voluntary Service is recognition not only of all the work done by charity organisers and their volunteers but also of the tremendous support of thousands of generous hearted fund raisers, many of who live in South Gloucestershire.”

For more information about Troop Aid, call 0121 711 7215 or visit www.troopaid.info