Cleverly gets his Marching Orders

Nathan Cleverly has been given his marching orders - after meeting up with soldiers from the 1st Battalion, The Royal Welsh, at his boxing gym yesterday (24 August). The Royal Welsh are set to depart for Afghanistan soon and wanted to meet the new star of British boxing before they go on a six month tour of duty. Cleverly, who defends his Commonwealth title at Belfast's Odyssey Arena on October 9, is showing his support for the The Royal Welsh and the great job they are doing by fully endorsing "The Soldiers Charity" and wearing the "Support the Royal Welsh in Afghanistan" wristband. "People say boxers are brave for getting in the ring, but you've got to be even braver to be a soldier and I've got nothing but for admiration for these boys," said 22-year-old Cleverly. "It was a privilege to meet some of the troops before their tour of duty and I wished them the best of luck. "They'll make Wales proud, and finger crossed I can lift their spirits by winning my next fight in style." The 1st Battalion, The Royal Welsh is based at the Dale Barracks, Chester having returned from a two-year deployment in Cyprus in August 2008.During the Battalion's time in Cyprus they deployed to Afghanistan, Iraq, The Lebanon and The Falkland Islands. The Battalion is due to be based in Chester for the next eight years.The 1st Battalion, The Royal Welsh will deploy to Afghanistan in October 2009 as the Regional Battle Group (South) (RBG(S)). In this role 1 Royal Welsh will be based in Kandahar and operate across the whole of Southern Afghanistan. This will include Helmand, Kandahar, Uruzgun and Zabul Provinces. Continuing casualties sustained by the British Army in Afghanistan are putting an increasing demand on services charities. Soldiers from 1 Royal Welsh have been fortunate to be supported by these charities in the past and are likely to need them in the future. The Battalion is therefore supporting the Army Benevolent Fund (ABF) - "The Soldiers' Charity" in the sale of the "Support the Royal Welsh in Afghanistan" bands. Half the money raised from the sale of these bands will go to the ABF and the remaining money will be used as a welfare fund to support the soldiers and families of 1 Royal Welsh during and after the Afghanistan tour. Soldiers and wives from the 1st Battalion have already raise a significant sum of money for the ABF by completing the Three Peaks Challenge of climbing Ben Nevis, Scafell Pike and Snowdon in under 30 hour.