02.02.2008

{JACK fm and SaBRE support Oxfordshire's troops

Oxfordshire’s newest radio station, 106 JACK fm, has shown its support for the county's servicemen with a week of special reports on the British Army recorded live in Afghanistan.

JACK’s Morning Glory sent co-host and News Director Greg Burke out to Helman Province in Afghanistan. Greg spent a week meeting Oxfordshire troops and experiencing their conditions first hand, reporting LIVE daily by satellite phone into JACK's Morning Glory. While in Afghanistan, he spent time with troops in Kandahar, in training at Camp Bastion and on the front line in Musa Quala.

Back in Oxford, Trevor, Sue and Glynn interviewed families of Oxfordshire squaddies and local politicians saying - “You don’t have to support the war to support our troops”. They spoke to Mrs & Mrs Alford from Headington and Mrs & Mrs Hobley from Oxford - whose sons Carl and Daniel are Riflemen with the 7th Battalion of the Rifles Regiment, part of the Territorial Army.

Guests showed their support on the show, including local Witney MP and Conservative Leader David Cameron, Conservative MP for Henley & Oxford South Boris Johnson, Liberal Democrat MP for Oxford West and Abingdon Dr Evan Harris, and Labour MP for Oxford East Andrew Smith. Despite their varying stances on the war, they all sent positive messages of support to our ‘brave and hardworking’ troops.

Greg was able to take the trip thanks to the MoD and the SaBRE (supporting Britain Reservists and Employers) campaign, which explains to employers the benefits, rights and obligations associated with employing a member of the Reserve Forces. You can find out more about the work SaBRE do at www.sabre.mod.uk.

JACK fm General Manager Ian Walker comments: “As a station with RAF Brize Norton, as well as troops and their families, in our broadcast area we wanted to humanise the dangers our troops are encountering in Afghanistan. It’s been a real coup to get David Cameron sending his own message of support and incredibly humbling to speak to the troops and their families about their experiences.”

Tim Corry, SaBRE Campaign Director, said: “The Reserve Forces are a vital part of the nation’s Armed Forces and serve with courage and dedication, and often at considerable personal sacrifice. To know that their employer is supporting them makes a huge difference to Reservists. SaBRE’s role is to listen to employers’ concerns, relay these to the MOD, and support employers by providing information on the benefits, rights and obligations associated with employing a member of the Reserve Forces. ENDS

For more information, contact Greg Burke (News Director) on 01865 315987

For more information on SaBRE, please contact Peter Chalkley or Martin Brown at Fishburn Hedges on 020 7839 4321 or peter.chalkley@fishburn-hedges.co.uk}