Walking through the Harlequin Mall in Watford last week, we chatted to a guy who answered our questions about 'Afghan Heroes', how it began and what they do. The charity supports military personnel serving in Afghanistan firstly by sending out small boxes to soldiers filled with things like shampoo, toothpaste , toothbrushes, sweets, music CDs, deodorant, talc, gum and many other things.  All inconsequential everyday stuff to us here in the UK, but to a soldier out in Helmand, in the crushing, glaring heat and grit, and the imminent danger of IEDs, incoming mortar strikes and  snipers, these boxes are a lifeline to home and a bit of comfort in a place bereft of the basics we all take for granted every day.

Irrespective of the politics of the how and why they are there ...they are there, doing the stuff at the sharp pointy end of delivery. 

The charity also  works to support the famlilies left behind, whether their soldier comes back or not. The families carry on, without their dads, husbands, brothers, sons, daughters, sisters or wives. 

And those who do make it back to the UK have a very difficult challenge to unhook their minds from the hair trigger survival mode they have had to learn and live by in Afghanistan.  Many have Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and face a long fight against the flash backs and deep guilt of having survived. They need half way houses to ease them back into this world. The charity is opening up a string of Retreats so that such people can heal and adjust to 'normal' life in our world again.

They have been to hell and back.

Ask Malala the Afghani girl, aged now sixteen,  who spoke at the UN yesterday.  The Taleban tried to kill her for her campaigning for girls' education.   Seven million girls are now in education in Afghanistan...when before there were only one million.

Our troops have achieved some good there, though lots of bad things happened no doubt.  But it was a broken place, after the Soviets had done their destruction. The US with their shock and awe, and ignorance in many ways worsened a vile mess.

But now as they come home to the UK, let's help these British forces personnel and their families by supporting this charity. Forget the politics. We are here now and so are they. 

Their website is:

www.trueheroes.org.uk