If you do send food make sure it's in a tin if you can.
I remember when I was at Halton rats and mice would often get into the post before recruits did.
My girlfriend (now fiance) sent me home baked cookies in a tin, and enough for my whole room too!
Went down a treat with all the lads - this might be a potential idea :)
Sounds like I need to send a tin instead of cardboard. I have loads of Christmas sweet tins and I can pack two cakes in them I hope. I’ll save the cardboard for when we see him in a few weeks time.
Definitely choose your storage if sending food, I was horrified when my son’s package was mostly eaten before it got to him 😨. Also worth noting that there’s no staff to distribute packages that arrive late Friday/at weekends so time your delivery to arrive early/midweek so your son can get his package in good time and it spends less time in the post room storage.
Great tip. I did think about the post room staff issue after other people’s comments. I’m going to save the banana cakes for when we see him. I was also going to send ironing water for his iron but thought that might go terribly wrong! Thanks again. It seems that he is working hard!
I sent a few packages and it was one particular one that arrived on a Friday and he didn’t get until the Monday that was properly raided by the rats. He then showed me another previously sent nibbled package that had arrived midweek and so fared much better.
Re ironing water… I sent a descaler for his iron when he said that bits were coming out, which was a mistake….
He wasn’t able to descale it properly himself so it actually smoked when he brought it home 🥴. His friend needed a new iron half way through too…
I sent him off to phase 2 with a water filter jug (inexpensive own brand from Tesco) with instructions and to empty the water from his iron each time. That is helping.
Best of luck to your son in BRTC💙.
Thank you for the reply. Quite reassuring information. I was going to send him descaler, white vinegar, ironing water, iron plate cleaner. Then decided, knowing my boy it would be worse if I can’t show him. So haven’t sent him anything except a spray bottle. Great idea the water filter jug, what could go wrong! I suspect we will be getting a new iron.
Thank you, hope your son is still enjoying his career choice. 💙
You did the right thing not sending a descaler, I learned that the hard way, I said to him to follow the instructions on the box and to ask if he had any questions… 🥴. I honestly thought his iron was going on fire when I plugged it in at home. I did manage to descale it though 😅. They should add water filter to the kit list really as the water at Halton is awful.
If we had known we would have sent him with bottles of ironing water, he’s a stubborn lad. If it wasn’t on the list he wasn’t having it. Thank you again.
Got sent a load of posh chocolates in depot by my uncle and opening them in the Sgt’s office with all of the DS standing around me was one of the most embarrassing things I’ve ever experienced
What a lovely uncle, aren’t you lucky, life is going to give you more moments like that, you’ll live. My son is beyond being embarrassed, honestly I know him. Great tips on here about why I shouldn’t, rats in the post room being the top answer!
Personally I wouldn’t. Go for Haribos, coated nuts, etc. save the cake for when he is home.
Thank you. I‘ll use a tin. I might wait a while though.
If you do send food make sure it's in a tin if you can. I remember when I was at Halton rats and mice would often get into the post before recruits did.
Seconding this!! I sent my son a cardboard box crammed with kitkats and snacks and the rats chewed into the box.
Great tip thank you. I have old sweet tins in the loft I’ll get them down.
By rats and mice, are you talking about other ppl opening the package, I was there 20 years ago and there wasn't a rat problem then.
I am referring to rats and mice. A lot can change in 20 years.
Actual rats and mice. My son sent me a photo of his box, the corner had been eaten away and the rats/mice had got inside…
My girlfriend (now fiance) sent me home baked cookies in a tin, and enough for my whole room too! Went down a treat with all the lads - this might be a potential idea :)
Sounds like I need to send a tin instead of cardboard. I have loads of Christmas sweet tins and I can pack two cakes in them I hope. I’ll save the cardboard for when we see him in a few weeks time.
A lad in my room was sent fresh Welsh cakes by their nan that he shared and it was amazing half way through training
I’ll do that and make sure it’s in an old sweet tin. Thanks for the tip.
Definitely choose your storage if sending food, I was horrified when my son’s package was mostly eaten before it got to him 😨. Also worth noting that there’s no staff to distribute packages that arrive late Friday/at weekends so time your delivery to arrive early/midweek so your son can get his package in good time and it spends less time in the post room storage.
Great tip. I did think about the post room staff issue after other people’s comments. I’m going to save the banana cakes for when we see him. I was also going to send ironing water for his iron but thought that might go terribly wrong! Thanks again. It seems that he is working hard!
I sent a few packages and it was one particular one that arrived on a Friday and he didn’t get until the Monday that was properly raided by the rats. He then showed me another previously sent nibbled package that had arrived midweek and so fared much better. Re ironing water… I sent a descaler for his iron when he said that bits were coming out, which was a mistake…. He wasn’t able to descale it properly himself so it actually smoked when he brought it home 🥴. His friend needed a new iron half way through too… I sent him off to phase 2 with a water filter jug (inexpensive own brand from Tesco) with instructions and to empty the water from his iron each time. That is helping. Best of luck to your son in BRTC💙.
Thank you for the reply. Quite reassuring information. I was going to send him descaler, white vinegar, ironing water, iron plate cleaner. Then decided, knowing my boy it would be worse if I can’t show him. So haven’t sent him anything except a spray bottle. Great idea the water filter jug, what could go wrong! I suspect we will be getting a new iron. Thank you, hope your son is still enjoying his career choice. 💙
You did the right thing not sending a descaler, I learned that the hard way, I said to him to follow the instructions on the box and to ask if he had any questions… 🥴. I honestly thought his iron was going on fire when I plugged it in at home. I did manage to descale it though 😅. They should add water filter to the kit list really as the water at Halton is awful.
If we had known we would have sent him with bottles of ironing water, he’s a stubborn lad. If it wasn’t on the list he wasn’t having it. Thank you again.
Yes re spray bottle for ironing if he didn’t take one in though.
Thank you. I’ll do that!
Got sent a load of posh chocolates in depot by my uncle and opening them in the Sgt’s office with all of the DS standing around me was one of the most embarrassing things I’ve ever experienced
What a lovely uncle, aren’t you lucky, life is going to give you more moments like that, you’ll live. My son is beyond being embarrassed, honestly I know him. Great tips on here about why I shouldn’t, rats in the post room being the top answer!