Ellie has support for UK troops down to a T
ARMY wife Ellie Butcher is striking a blow for forces families – with her own T-shirt production line in Doncaster.
Ellie, whose husband Mathew is a serjeant in the second battalion of The Rifles, is going into production of designs which will raise money towards events to help troops’ families in the borough.
And she hopes it will not stop there, with plans to eventually create dresses in regimental colours.
The 29-year-old has close links with the Army. Although Mathew, aged 34, is back in the UK now after a seven-month tour of Afghanistan, her younger brother Tim Millard, aged 25, has just left for his tour of duty with the third battalion, The Rifles.
She is producing shirts carrying the logo Support Our Troops, which originates from a Facebook group set up by Doncaster man James Brewin and his family, which was behind an event run for services families at the weekend at Bentley Pavilion.
It raised cash for Help for Heroes and for injured Doncaster soldier Craig Wood, as well as providing a chance for forces families to meet.
Cash raised from the sale of the shirts will go towards another event, due to be run early in March, possibly at the larger Doncaster Dome.
Ellie, from Campsall, said she got involved with Support Our Troops after hearing about its support for Craig, a soldier from Woodlands who lost two legs and part of his arm in a bomb blast. Craig is in the same battalion and company as Mathew.
She says she was delighted to see Mathew safely back, but still feels for those who have lost loved ones.
She said: “As Mathew was coming home, Tim was going out, so I was aware how my sister-in-law was feeling.
“When you have a relative out there you feel physically sick when you hear someone’s been killed. First you feel upset because you feel it could be someone you know. When you find out that you don’t you just feel for their family.
“I want to do something positive to help forces families.”
Ellie has printing and embroidering machines which are capable of producing 45 tops an hour. There are plans to set up a stall in Doncaster market selling them.
James’ dad Cliff, who has also been involved with the Facebook group, said he had been talking to shops about stocking the shirts, with the Paintbox in Carcroft looking into the possibility.
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Friday 25 May 2012
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