THIS week the Gazette and Herald joins forces with the wives and partners of soldiers serving in the Gulf to launch Treats for the Troops.

In the next three weeks, we will be collecting sweets, toiletries and goodwill messages to send to the forces personnel of 21 Signals Regiment, based at Colerne.

The 200 men and women of the regiment have been in the Middle East for two months. They provide invaluable communication support for the armed forces, a task that has taken many of them into Iraq with advancing British troops, and we want to make their Easter by sending each of them a shoebox of small luxuries from home.

We will be collecting ready-packed shoeboxes, or even individual items, at our offices in Chippenham, Devizes and Swindon, and be working to a deadline of April 17.

We will then be handing the boxes to the forces for transport to the Gulf, before bringing you pictures of the men and women unwrapping their gifts in the coming weeks.

Treats for the Troops is the brainchild of Army wives Sharon Shakespeare, 41, and Jeanne Murphy, 34, and came from their simple wish to make life in the desert more tolerable.

Mrs Shakespeare's husband Gary, a 42-year-old captain, has been in the Gulf with the Royal Signals, based at Basil Hill, near Corsham, for the past two months.

She explained: "I woke up one day last week feeling sad and a little down after watching the news from Iraq.

"All I could think about was sending some kind of message to the troops to let them know we are all thinking about them. So I came up with the idea of sending them some Easter goodies.

"The more I thought about it, the more it seemed like a good idea, so I called around some of the other wives and then the Gazette & Herald and the response was wonderful.

"It's really all taken off. The other wives here have been great and are already packing boxes to send. Now we want as many Gazette and Herald readers as possible to donate their own boxes, or even just a packet of sweets."

Both Stead & Simpson shoe shop in High Street, Chippenham and Shoefayre in Borough Parade, have come forward to offer shoeboxes to people wishing to give to the appeal all you have to do is pop in and ask.

The initiative has been welcomed by Padre Ken Wilson, who is attached to the Basil Hill barracks.

He said: "I think this is a wonderful idea and a way of perfectly expressing our best wishes to the troops.

"It doesn't matter how much people donate, it is the expression behind this appeal which counts.

"I think it's important that we let these troops know how much we are all thinking about them and wishing for their safe and speedy return."

Lieutenant Commander Susie Thomson, press officer for the Basil Hill barracks, applauded the scheme.

"Our boys are girls are well provided for in terms of the basics, but lacking in luxuries," she said.

"Anything like this, which helps to make their lives that little bit more comfortable, is a fantastic idea.

"And I will be working to make sure these messages and goodwill boxes get to the soldiers of the 21 Signals Regiment as near to Easter as we can."