TODAY the Echo tells the story of Basildon soldier Simon Peacock. While serving in Afghanistan he received the full blast from a grenade.

Shrapnel actually entered his heart. Yet far from being embittered by his injuries, he simply says: "I know I am incredibly lucky to be here."

Simon is a friend of another severely wounded Essex soldier, Matthew Wollard, who lost a leg in action.

Simon and Matthew are inspirational, but they also remind us about the daily toll of conflict.

For every tragic fatality, there are all too many other casualties that never make the headlines.

Scores of young men and women are already in the same position as the Essex pair. Like them, they will carry the mental and physical scars of war for the rest of their lives.

The courage and sacrifice are not unappreciated by the rest of the community.

Today we also carry a story about the work of Laindon shopkeepers to send food parcels for frontline troops.

This backing cannot be just short term. It must stretch far beyond the duration of the current conflicts.

The community needs to support the likes of Simon and Matthew for years and decades to come.