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| Terry Dix with soldiers from 22 Signals Regiment |
Chairman passes on best wishes and ale to deploying soldiers
Terry Dix, Chairman of Staffordshire County Council, has passed on the best wishes of the people of the county to Afghanistan-bound troops.
Mr Dix met around 70 members of Stafford based 22 Signal Regiment at Shugborough.
The soldiers were at the historic estate to pose for a pre-deployment regimental photograph. Mr Dix wished them a safe journey and presented each of the soldiers with a gift of a bottle of Shugborough Ale as token of gratitude from the people of Staffordshire.
Mr Dix told the soldiers: "22 Signals may only have been resident in our county for 12 months, but we already regard you as valued members of the Staffordshire family.
"I would like to make each of you aware that the people of Staffordshire truly appreciate the work that your regiment and the rest of the British armed forces are carrying out in Afghanistan.
"I am sure that you will carry out that work with great professionalism and style, and as a result the country will be a more prosperous, happy and peaceful place when you leave than when you arrived.
"We will await anxiously for news from your deployment. Our most important wish is that you all return in good health."
Staff at Shugborough are working with army welfare officers to plan a number of events for the families of soldiers based at Beacon Barracks (formerly RAF Stafford), while they are deployed.
Mr Dix said: "We appreciate fully that the time away will in many ways be just as difficult for your loved ones as the soldiers themselves."
Shugborough Ale is brewed in the county council managed estate's brewhouse using authentic 19th century equipment and methods.
Page Last Modified:
10/07/2008 13:39:05
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