Doing it for Our Heroes
What does working for ATCO at KAF, Spain, and line dancing have in common? Nothing if you aren’t married to Director of Engineering and Infrastructure Ian Lawson!
But all these elements came together in September 2009 when Ian’s wife, Jackie Lawson went to her local line dance classes in Spain.
The previous year her group, who are also know as “Charlie’s Angels Line Dance Addicts”, raised funds for the Marie Curie Cancer Fund by selling a charity CD. This time the selected British charity was Afghan Heroes, a newly formed charity. Afghan Heroes, which is now known as the “Band of Mothers”, was set up by 8 mothers in the UK whose sons all died on July 9th and 10th 2009. The charity initially wanted to give support to the families of the lost heroes, and to retrain those injured in theatre. As the charity has gained support and funds, it is now aiming to send a gift box to all 10,000 British troops stationed in Afghanistan. No mean feat when you consider that they have to convince manufacturers to donate 10,000 of every item on the wish list! Back in September Jackie Lawson decided that she would take up the cause and beat the previous years €606 fundraising. During the next 3 months she not only sold the new CD single in Spain, but also enlisted her husbands help too. They financed 100 special edition CDs which where sent out to KAF and sold for a special price of $5. (CDs in Spain sold for €5, so this was a bargain price for anyone actually in Kandahar.) The first of this limited edition was autographed by the 2 artists, Charles Cole and Angie Evans( Charles being a local country and western singer and Angie being Jackie’s line dance teacher. ) and duly sent to Buckingham Palace for HRH Prince Harry.
Jackie was cheeky enough to ask for a signed photograph of the Prince. Buckingham Palace sent back a very nice letter of thanks for the CD, but said they couldn’t oblige with a signed photograph as only know friends of HRH Prince Harry receive those. Jackie was not in the least disappointed, after all, how many people have envelopes addressed to them with a Buckingham Palace Stamp, and headed paper from St James Palace? None that aren’t 100 years old!
First CDs in Afghan Skies
Ian Lawson was busy too. He arranged with the RAF to have not just one, but 2 CDs taken up in the MQ-9 Reaper by 62 Squadron. This is nearly unheard of as they usually only take up flags. So these CDs are unique.
The RAF 31 Squadron have also kindly taken another 2 of the CDs up in a Tornado. There is also a signed certificate which shows the Cds in the aircraft while it is refuelling in midair. Both sets of signed and framed certificates and CDS will be going into a special auction for Afghan Heroes later on in the year.
Events
The fundraising in Spain started slowly, but by the time Jackie had sent out press reports to all the local newspapers, and had an article published in Gateway Magazine, things started to hot up. Jackie has also done radio interviews with TKO Gold and for BFBS.
She arranged various events from a fashion show, to a Craft and Gift Fayre, stood in local supermarkets with collection tins, took a line dance troop around to raise funds, had a karaoke evening and finished the year with a spectacular Christmas Gala Night.
It had been 3 months very hard work, but when the coins and notes were all counted up everyone knew that it had all been worthwhile.
The total raised was €3,866.32.
“As a wife whose husband is away in Afghanistan for 3 months at a time, I have some idea what the relatives of the serving troops are going through. You never know from one day to the next whether your loved one is alive. Communication isn’t that great between Afghanistan and Spain so everyday you are waiting just for some word to know that you haven’t been widowed. Ian and I have a daughter who is 18, and she could quite easily be one of the fallen heroes. My mind cannot even get around that thought and the loss that is involves.
This is what keeps me going – the thought of those babies that are being killed, and the devastation that their loss has brought to the lives of all around them.”
Carry on Heroes
Although the 2009 fundraising finished on December 31st, Jackie has decided to carry on for the heroes. She is building a website – www.expats4afghanheroes.com, which will show the upcoming events that expats living outside the UK can participate in. She will also be selling the Afghan Heroes wristbands in Spain. They are available to order for UK residents by going to www.afghanheroes.org.uk
There are already events planned for 2010, kicking off with a Valentines Night Show, and later in the year a Summer County Fair, Hoedown and Halloween Ball.
If anyone would still like to buy a limited edition CD, there are still a few available from Ian Lawson. Please give generously; these are all our sons and daughters in theatre after all.
