THE local woman behind the ‘Hats for Heroes’ knitting initiative, which has so far sent out more than 3000 hats to Afghanistan, has said she hopes to continue the scheme until the last soldier arrives home in 2014.

Tina Selby has been encouraging people both locally and all across the country to knit hats to send over to Welsh troops to keep them warm during the winter months.

Since September last year, she has received hundreds of donations from other knitters, sending approximately 3184 hats and Kit Kat Chunky bars for morale, to troops in regiments such as the 20th Armoured Division, the Queens Royal Hussars, 1 YORKS, 1 Princess of Wales Royal Regiment, 5 Rifles, 4 YORKS and the Queens Dragon Guards.

And she said she had no intention of stopping.

"I send out hats between September and November so as not to clog up the Christmas post from the soldiers’ families" she said. "The weather in Afghanistan starts to heat up around March so I don’t send anymore hats out unless they are requested until autumn. This pattern will continue until all the troops come home. As long as people are happy to continue knitting then I will continue collecting and sending them out.

"If any readers would like to knit some hats over the winter, or if they have any wool they would like to donate, or have family members or friends who will be serving in Afghanistan this winter and would like me to send hats to their unit then please contact me.”

To get in touch with Tina call 02920707894 or email contact@hats4heroes.co.uk