Now Observer readers have fans in Iraq!

BEXHILL Observer readers have done it again!We thought our appeal in last week's Observer for mini-fans to send to a Bexhill soldier serving in Iraq might be asking a bit too much, what with the recent heatwave in the UK.
By The Newsroom
Published 28th Aug 2003, 11:56 BST
Updated 7th Jun 2018, 20:07 BST

Even in Bexhill the battery-operated fans became a premium commodity as temperatures topped the 30-degree mark.

But just like back in April when we launched our Supporting the Troops campaign to send shoe-boxes full of goodies to the Gulf, kind hearted Observer readers have exceeded all our hopes.

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Some 15 individual fans have been brought into our offices after our story last Friday about former Bexhill High Pupil Joe Belton, who is currently with the Royal tank Regiment in Basra, southern Iraq.

Reader Marion Edmunds got straight on to cosmetics firm Avon which has agreed to supply a further 100 fans!

For British soldiers they are the only relief from temperatures which regularly exceed 50 degrees centigrade.

Under the searing heat the troops are advised to drink eight litres of water a day to top-up their fluid levels.

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But the fans are scarce in Iraq and Joe, remembering the parcels he received from readers earlier in the year, asked his nan Judith Creasey to contact the Observer on his behalf.

Obviously he will distribute the fans to other British troops in Basra.

Mrs Creasey said: "We want Joe home but if we can make life any easier for he and his colleagues by providing such simple things as hand fans then why not try?

p Fans can be donated at the Observer's Sackville Road office, where they will be gratefully received.

Related topics:IraqObserverBexhillREADER