Company to send haggis to Scottish troops

Jan 18 2013 by Craig Robertson, Kilmarnock Standard

A Galston company is turning Afghanistan Scottish... by sending haggis to troops.

Grants Foods are preparing a shipment of their famous canned dish to arrive in time for Burns Night.

The company has set up a scheme where friends and family can send a tin of the haggis - free or charge - to a serving British soldier in war zones across the world.

Their chairman, John Fallon, said: “Over the past couple of years we have received a growing number of queries from the forces about sending our haggis across at this time of year.

“The fact that our haggis is packaged in a can means it can be sent abroad easily as it doesn’t require refrigerated transport.

“We always send it across free of charge as it’s the least we can do for the heroes of our country.”

Troops in Afghanistan have lined up a piper to welcome the arrival of the chieftain o’ the puddin’ race.

And one royal navyman, serving in Brunei, said: “I am a UK military dentist, there are 30 of us from the Royal Navy, Army and Royal Air Force who are currently serving overseas in Brunei.

“As a Scot, it has fallen upon me to organise the obligatory Burns Night party at the end of January.

“They’ve already started arriving in the post.

“It’s created a real buzz for our Burns Night celebrations which normally does not include a ‘supper’.”

Entries will be accepted up until Friday, January 25 via www.haggisforheroes.com