Bermondsey councillor Denise Capstick heads to Afghanistan

Cllr Major Denise Capstick left RAF Brize Norton for Afghanistan on Monday with 256 City of London Field Hospital.

Cllr Capstick is serving as a medical officer in at Camp Bastion in Helmand Province for three months. She has requested that her councillor allowance be stopped although she will still receive her council emails and post.

She has previously served in Iraq whilst continuing to keep in touch with local matters in Bermondsey.

"My thoughts and prayers are with Denise and all our servicemen and women in their very dangerous situations," says Simon Hughes MP.

"I will be keeping in touch with Denise to listen to her experience and use this to assist my campaign for more help for our soldiers.

"At our Liberal Democrat conference last month I successfully introduced a policy to support troops better with housing and employment when they return home, and to help families with burial and cremation costs when the most tragic circumstances occur.

"Our armed services deserve the greatest dignity and respect during and after their service. Liberal Democrats are calling for an end to the scandal of returned armed service men and women ending up homeless and unemployed."

256 City of London Field Hospital is based at the TA centre in Walworth's Braganza Street.