Pride on the cards for troops facing Taliban

The personal greetings cards feature a 3-D figure of a soldier and a tank, with the words 'We're So Proud Of You' on the front. The group of four women hit on the idea during one of their twice-weekly meetings as they chatted about the troops' plight.

The cards have been placed along with gifts of socks, scarves, gloves, chocolate and other treats inside shoe boxes to be sent to the war zone. Sheila Moore, of The Glades, Pendeford, who has spearheaded the effort, says the friends have made up 64 gift boxes.

Another of the group, Sheila's cousin, wheelchair-bound Linda Haycock, aged 58, of Neachells Lane, Wednesfield, also composed a poem to the soldiers, which has been reprinted inside the cards.

Sheila, aged 59, said today: "We really feel for the soldiers and what they're gong through. Linda went one step further and actually wrote a poem which made us all well up inside, so that went in as well."

The pair, along with friends Irene Jenkins and Andrea Woodhall, used silver mirror board to make the cards which contained the message: "To a special soldier, just to wish you a Merry Christmas and to stay safe, with best wishes."

All the cards contained handwritten signatures. Sheila's husband's firm, Indtherm Installations, of Dudley, helped to fund the packages.