Byline: MIKE MORGAN

GREEN HOWARDS Teesside soldier wife Emma-Kate Young is organising hundreds of shoe box goodies to be sent out to our local Army boys serving in Afghanistan.

Emma-Kate, 30, of Tyne Street, Loftus, married Corporal Paul Young, 33, a signaller of 2nd Battalion The Yorkshire Regiment (Green Howards) in 1998.

He's in the Signals platoon HQ Company, serving at various bases, including Camp Tombstone.

The couple have a son, Darien, four. Emma-Kate said: "Paul went out to Afghanistan in September and will serve until March. Darien has taken this quite badly as he also started school full time school in September.

"Now he'll miss his dad on his birthday on December 23 and on Christmas Day.

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"We only get a phone call of 20 minutes a week, which isn't a lot to keep in touch.

"So I've organised sending out parcels -not just to Paul, but to all the Green Howards troops out there.

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"The first batch has already gone out with 46 shoe boxes containing toiletries, sweets, razors, sun tan cream, tea bags, biscuits and home baking etc."

She added: "If they are under two kilos you just take them to your local Post Office, sign a Customs declaration and they go free.

"Soldiers are mainly males out there, but there are some female chefs, medics and admin staff. We've already had thank you replies."

There are also collection boxes in local shops and supermarkets.

Emma-Kate works at Badger Hill School, Brotton, and is completing a teacher training honours degree at Teesside University while also a voluntary regional caseworker for the Royal British Legion.

She said: "My inspiration for this is that we do not honour our troops enough and they are sometimes forgotten while they are away. I've contacted our local British Legion branch which has donated pounds 100 for shoe box goods and also the Battalion Quartermaster in Afghanistan and he's fully aware of our efforts. We'll continue to send the parcels throughout the Battalion's six
embroidered patches month tour, to keep up morale and let our heroes know we are behind them 100%." * Anyone wanting to help can call Emma-Kate on 01287 642127. Anyone who wants to make up a shoe box can address them to PTE Yorkshire, 2 Yorks, Op Herrick, BFPO 792.

CAPTION(S):

We do not honour our troops enough and they are sometimes forgotten while they are away -Emma-Kate, pictured in a family snap, right, with husband Paul and son Darien, and the day she wed her soldier hero inset below, currently serving in Afghanistan GIFT APPEAL: Emma-Kate Young and son Darien, four Picture by IAN COOPER